coo

1 of 2

verb

cooed; cooing; coos

intransitive verb

1
: to make the low soft cry of a dove or pigeon or a similar sound
The baby cooed quietly in her crib.
2
: to talk fondly, amorously, or appreciatively
The family cooed over the baby pictures.
coo noun

COO

2 of 2

abbreviation

chief operating officer

Examples of coo in a Sentence

Verb The baby cooed quietly in her crib. The baby was making a cooing sound. They all cooed over the baby pictures. “Oh, how sweet,” she cooed.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
William Jefferson, 37, lifts Carter into his arms and sits down at the table while Erica stands holding their cooing 5-month-old Elijah. Willie J. Allen Jr., Orlando Sentinel, 2 Feb. 2025 After months of cooing and babbling at a baby, my adult vocabulary felt distinctly lacking, and my wine terms all but forgotten. Brittani Sonnenberg, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2025 The video ends with voiceovers of Archie and Lilibet cooing to Guy. Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2025 In neighboring Andreas Canyon, a crystalline stream flows year-round and an easy one-mile loop winds beneath red cliffs, cooing birds and sycamore trees. Freda Moon, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for coo

Word History

Etymology

Verb

imitative

First Known Use

Verb

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of coo was in 1577

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Coo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coo. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

coo

verb
1
: to make the low soft cry of a dove or pigeon or a similar sound
2
: to talk fondly or lovingly
coo noun

More from Merriam-Webster on coo

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!