loon
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loon¹
- /ˈluːn/
Rhymes with -uːn
Where it comes from
From Middle English louen, lowen (“rascal; rogue”), probably of Middle Dutch or Middle Low German origin. Compare Dutch loen (“simpleton”). Or, related to etymology 2, due to the bird's loud cry. Folk etymology associates it slang-wise with lunatic, though the latter may have influenced it; see loony.
noun loons
- A crazy or deranged person; a lunatic. An electric fire came next, followed by an umbrella and then a colander. "This bowl will carry no water," he muttered. "Some loon hath pierced it with holes."
- An idler, a lout. The diuell damne thee blacke, thou cream-fac'd Loone: Where got'ſt thou that Gooſe-looke.
- A boy, a lad.
- A harlot; mistress.
- A simpleton.
- An English soldier of an expeditionary army in Ireland.
-
A round area of pavement that protrudes from one side of a road to accommodate turning vehicles with a wide turning circle.
Similar: bulb-out
- Clipping of balloon
loon²
- /ˈluːn/
Rhymes with -uːn
Where it comes from
Of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse lómr (“loon”), ultimately imitative of the bird's cry, particularly when it's in danger. Distantly related to lament, probably sharing Proto-Indo-European *leh₂- (expressive root).
noun loons
-
Any of various birds, of the order Gaviiformes, of North America and Europe that dive for fish and have a short tail, webbed feet and a yodeling cry.
The Loone is an ill ſhap'd thing like a Cormorant; but that he can neyther goe nor flye; he maketh a noiſe ſometimes like a Sovvgelders horne.
Similar: diver
Loon³
proper noun
- A municipality of Bohol, Philippines.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: birdbrain, diver, addle-head, stupid, idiot, fool, moron, imbecile, nong, crackpot, lunatic, crazy, nutcase, throated, kinless, yong
Translations
Every language
noun a crazy person
| Español | lunático |
|---|---|
| Português | doido, louco, maluco |
| Français | fou |
| Deutsch | Bekloppter, Verrückter, Irrer, Spinner |
| Italiano | matto, scemo, stolto, fannullone |
| Ελληνικά | παλαβός palavós |
| Русский | безумец bezumec |
noun idler
| Deutsch | Traumtänzer, Faulenzer |
|---|
Talk about this word "loon." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/loon. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. loon. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/loon "loon." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/loon.Cite this
@misc{loon_2026,
title = {loon},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/loon},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
