dodo

noun

do·​do ˈdō-(ˌ)dō How to pronounce dodo (audio)
plural dodoes or dodos
1
a
: an extinct heavy flightless bird (Raphus cucullatus synonym Didus ineptus of the family Columbidae) of the island of Mauritius that was larger than a turkey and was related to the pigeon
b
: an extinct flightless bird (Raphus solitarius) of the island of Réunion similar to and closely related to the dodo
2
a
: one hopelessly behind the times
b
: a stupid person

Illustration of dodo

Illustration of dodo
  • dodo 1a

Examples of dodo in a Sentence

That dodo can't do anything right. I feel like a complete dodo.
Recent Examples on the Web With the funding, the company plans to, for example, rewrite elephant DNA with mammoth genes to create a mammoth-like embryo, and the company’s goal has expanded to editing and re-writing DNA to restore or preserve several extinct animals like the dodo bird or Tasmanian tiger. Stephen Pastis, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024 After Thursday’s goodbye, that atmosphere has gone the way of the dodo bird, the wooly mammoth, the saber-tooth tiger. Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 26 Sep. 2024 Creatures that would be little on the mainland, such as birds and lizards, tend to become massive in island settings—producing the 50-pound dodo and the ten-foot-long Komodo dragon, for example. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Aug. 2024 The national bird of Mauritius is the dodo, which was once endemic to the island. James Rampton, theweek, 11 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dodo 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dodo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Portuguese doudo, from doudo silly, stupid

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of dodo was in 1628

Dictionary Entries Near dodo

Cite this Entry

“Dodo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dodo. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

dodo

noun
do·​do ˈdōd-ō How to pronounce dodo (audio)
plural dodoes or dodos
1
: a large heavy flightless extinct bird related to the pigeons and formerly found on some of the islands of the Indian Ocean
2
a
: a person who is hopelessly behind the times
b
: a stupid person
Etymology

from Portuguese doudo, name given by Portuguese sailors to the bird, from doudo (adjective) "silly, stupid"

More from Merriam-Webster on dodo

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