loon

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈlün 

plural loons

1

: lout, idler

2

chiefly Scotland : boy

3

a

: an eccentric person

b

: simpleton

loon

2 of 2

noun (2)

: any of several large birds (genus Gavia of the family Gaviidae) of Holarctic regions that feed on fish by diving and have their legs placed far back under the body for optimal locomotion underwater

Illustration of loon

Did you know?

There are a number of theories about the origin of loon as it refers to a crazy person, its most common current meaning. One is that it comes from loony, meaning "crazy." But based on currently available evidence, loony is a late 19th-century alteration of lunatic that didn't come into use until decades after the meaning of loon in question. (It's still possible that loony influenced the development and spread of this meaning of loon.) Another guess is that this loon is from the avian loon, inspired either by the bird's maniacal cry or its displays to distract predators, such as skittering over water with its neck crooked. This is certainly possible, and is the origin story favored by some. But the story our dictionaries favor is a bit more quotidian: the current use of loon developed from earlier uses, primarily in Scottish and other northern dialects of British English, of loon to refer to a lout (an awkward, brutish person) or idler (someone who is idle, lazy, or inactive). While that loon, which is from Middle English loun, never spread to British English more broadly, immigrants from the regions where it was used had a significant influence on American English, and it's not far-fetched to posit that their loon developed into the distinctly American use of the word to refer to daffy people.

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• bug
• crackbrain
• crazy
• fool
• fruitcake
• head case
• loony
• lunatic
• maniac
• nut
• nutcase
• nutter [British slang]
• psycho
• psychopath
• sickie
• sicko
• wacko
• whacko

Examples of loon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

While other studies have shown that loons prefer clear water, this is believed to be the first study to directly link declining water quality and declining loons. —John Myers, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2024

Share [Findings] In Maine, a loon stabbed a bald eagle through the heart. —Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024

Purchased in 2023 by owners who named the yacht after their lakehouse residents, the loon bird, it is now widely recognized on the charter scene, thanks partly to its social-media presence but mostly because of its eclectic crew. —Gemma Harris, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2024

The birds are migrating to the Arctic to breed and this loon, which previously showed up at the preserve, may have gotten blown off course, Buzard said. —Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2024

Officials are caring for a common loon and a western grebe that were recovered with oil on their bodies. —Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024

The new flag design lacks a loon, as does the old one. —Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 29 Feb. 2024

Staffers hang out in a lactation pod, in an office where nobody breast-feeds; pledge-drive contributions are heralded with the call of the common loon. —Sarah Larson, The New Yorker, 8 Feb. 2024

The loon breeds in the Arctic tundra during the summer. —Helena Wegner, Sacramento Bee, 25 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English loun

Noun (2)

of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse lōmr loon

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1634, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

loon

noun

ˈlün

: any of several large diving birds that eat fish, have a long pointed bill and webbed feet, and usually nest on the banks of lakes and ponds