Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “coucou” come from?

coucou (French) comes from Old French cucu, from Latin cuculus — cuckoo; a term of reproach.

coucou (French): cuckoo; cuckoo clock; cowslip

Definitions

  1. cuckoo; cuckoo clock; cowslip

Ancestry of “coucou”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchcucucuckoo
2Latincuculuscuckoo; a term of reproach

Words derived from “coucou”

  • cocus
  • cocufier
  • cocu
  • کوکو
Every word from Latin cuculus →