cuco

See also: Čučo and čučo

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 (plural cucos)

1. worm

Derived terms

• cuca
• cuca de luz
• cuco de la seda

Further reading

• cuco on the Aragonese Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^an

Galician

Etymology 1

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 Santamarina, editor (2006–2013), “cuco”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Santamarina, Ernesto X. 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

Etymology 2

Verb

cuco

1. first-person singular present indicative of cucar

Portuguese

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈku.ku/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈku.ku/

• Rhymes: -uku

Noun

cuco m (plural cucos)

1. cuckoo (the bird)

Derived terms

• armar aos cucos
• cucar
• relógio cuco

Further reading

• “cuco”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “cuco”, in Dicionário Infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2026
• “cuco”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2026, →ISBN
• “cuco”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

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

• mochuelo cuco
• 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 coco, 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], archived from the original on 16 July 2026:

     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)

Etymology 3

Noun

cuco m (plural cucos)

1. bassinet

Further reading

• “cuco”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), 24th edition, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 30 October 2026

Venetan

Etymology

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

Noun

cuco m (plural cuchi)

1. cuckoo