noun
kook
kook
noun
1
An eccentric or slightly crazy person.
"The neighbours dismissed him as a harmless kook."
"Only a real kook would go swimming in that weather."
2
In surfing and other boardsports, a beginner who lacks skill but acts overconfident.
"The regulars groaned when the kook paddled straight into their line."
"He was still a kook, but he was improving fast."
How to Use Kook
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn odd or eccentric person, or, in surf culture, an overconfident beginner.
When to use it
Informal, often used affectionately rather than as a real insult.
Word Forms
kooks plural, Kooks plural
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Etymology
Possibly derived from "cuckoo", a word long used to describe someone a bit crazy.