peacock

1 of 2

noun

pea·​cock ˈpē-ˌkäk How to pronounce peacock (audio)
1
: a male peafowl distinguished by a crest of upright feathers and by greatly elongated loosely webbed upper tail coverts which are mostly tipped with iridescent spots and are erected and spread in a shimmering fan usually as a courtship display
broadly : peafowl
2
: one making a proud display of oneself : show-off
peacockish
ˈpē-ˌkä-kish How to pronounce peacock (audio)
adjective
peacocky
ˈpē-ˌkä-kē How to pronounce peacock (audio)
adjective

peacock

2 of 2

verb

peacocked; peacocking; peacocks

intransitive verb

: show off

Examples of peacock in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The show, which centered on a New York City taxicab company, premiered on ABC in September 1978, ultimately being dropped by ABC and picked up by the peacock for its final season. — Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 13 Mar. 2025 Hollywood’s leading men may be embracing the peacock trend on red carpets, but women still rule in interest and social-media conversation, with the night’s top five women totaling $35.76 million in earned engagement, while the men earned $10.9 million. — Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
The need among small-time meme coin creators to peacock for attention became even more acute when celebrities piled in. — Joel Khalili, WIRED, 12 Sep. 2024 Captain Alan Zaremba of Hollywood specializes in guiding anglers to peacock bass in South Florida as well as in the Amazon River basin in Colombia and Brazil. — Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 7 June 2024 See All Example Sentences for peacock

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English pecok, from pe- (from Old English pēa peafowl, from Latin pavon-, pavo peacock) + cok cock

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1818, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of peacock was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing peacock

Rhymes for peacock

See All Rhymes for peacock

Browse Nearby Words

peacock
Peacock
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Cite this Entry

“Peacock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peacock. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

peacock

noun
pea·​cock
ˈpē-ˌkäk
: the male of a very large Asian pheasant having a very long brightly colored tail that can be spread or raised, a small crest of upright feathers on the top of the head, and in most forms brilliant blue or green feathers on the neck and shoulders

Biographical Definition

Peacock

biographical name

Pea·​cock ˈpē-ˌkäk How to pronounce Peacock (audio)
Thomas Love 1785–1866 English novelist and poet

More from Merriam-Webster on peacock

Nglish: Translation of peacock for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about peacock

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