Illustration of loon
plural loons
: 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
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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.
Examples of loon in a Sentence
Noun (1)
giggled like a loon at his own jokes
the loons at the grocery store had put the potato chips at the bottom of the bag
Recent Examples on the Web
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 5 Feb. 2025
Overall, since 2022, the virus has been detected 372 times in wild birds in Michigan, including in ducks, sparrows, pigeons, starlings, swans, geese, eagles, loons, falcons, cranes, hawks, cormorants, owls and gulls.
—Jalen Williams, Detroit Free Press, 17 Dec. 2024
Purchased in 2023, reportedly by U.S. businessman and owner of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, Craig Leipold, it was christened Loon after the loon birds at his Minnesota lake house.
—Howard Walker, Robb Report, 24 Oct. 2024
Officials didn’t pick any of the most popular designs submitted online that included options like a loon — the state bird — with lasers for eyes.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for loon
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Noun
This feeding strategy is more like what gerbes and loons use.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 5 Feb. 2025
Overall, since 2022, the virus has been detected 372 times in wild birds in Michigan, including in ducks, sparrows, pigeons, starlings, swans, geese, eagles, loons, falcons, cranes, hawks, cormorants, owls and gulls.
—Jalen Williams, Detroit Free Press, 17 Dec. 2024
Purchased in 2023, reportedly by U.S. businessman and owner of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, Craig Leipold, it was christened Loon after the loon birds at his Minnesota lake house.
—Howard Walker, Robb Report, 24 Oct. 2024
Officials didn’t pick any of the most popular designs submitted online that included options like a loon — the state bird — with lasers for eyes.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for loon
Cite this Entry
“Loon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loon. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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