cuco

Aragonese

Etymology

Possibly of onomatopoeic origin. Compare to Catalan cuc or Sardinian cucurra.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkuko/
• Rhymes: -uko
• Syllabification: cu‧co

Noun

cuco m

1. worm

Derived terms

• cuca
• cuca de luz
• cuco de la seda

 

Further reading

• cuco on the Aragonese Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^an

Galician

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese; either onomatopoeic, or from Late Latin cucus or cuccus, or Latin cuculus or Ancient Greek κόκκυξ (kókkux).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈkukʊ]

Noun

cuco m (plural cucos)

1. cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)

   Synonym: cuquelo

   Tres avichouchos pasan o mar: a rula, o cuco e o paspallar (proverb)

   Three birdies pass the sea: the turtle dove, the cuckoo and the quail

2. limpet

Derived terms

• calzón de cuco
• herba do cuco
• ledo coma un cuco
• pan do cuco

References

• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “cuco”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “cuco”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “cuco”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Portuguese

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese cuco, from Late Latin cucus or cuccus, or Latin cuculus or Ancient Greek κόκκυξ (kókkux).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈku.ku/

Noun

cuco m (plural cucos)

1. cuckoo (the bird)

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkuko/ [ˈku.ko]

• Audio (Spain):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uko
• Syllabification: cu‧co

Etymology 1

Onomatopoeic; or from Late Latin cucus or cuccus, or Latin cuculus or Ancient Greek κόκκυξ (kókkux).

Noun

cuco m (plural cucos)

1. cuckoo

Derived terms

• reloj de cuco

 

Adjective

cuco (feminine cuca, masculine plural cucos, feminine plural cucas)

1. clever, cunning

   Synonyms: astuto, pillo

2. cute

   Synonym: mono

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Portuguese côco, see more at Spanish Wikipedia.

Noun

cuco m (plural cucos, feminine cuca, feminine plural cucas)

1. (folklore) bogeyman (ghost or monster to scare children)

   Synonyms: coco, cuca, cucuy

2. (figurative) bogeyman
   • 18 December 2022, Diego Morini, “¡Argentina campeón mundial! La coronación del orgullo: la selección de Messi ganó la mejor final de la historia y se compró un lugar en el cielo del fútbol”, in La Nación‎^[1]:

     Se mueve con un hambre que asusta y le metió miedo en la primera parte al equipo francés, que hasta aquí era el cuco.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Further reading

• “cuco”, in Diccionario de la lengua española (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy, 2023 November 28

Venetan

Etymology

From Late Latin cucus or cuccus, or Latin cuculus or Ancient Greek κόκκυξ (kókkux).

Noun

cuco m (plural cuchi)

1. cuckoo