Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A large kingfisher (Dacelo novaeguineae) of southern and eastern Australia, having brown and white plumage and a call resembling raucous laughter.
- noun Any of several similar kingfishers of the genera Dacelo and Clytoceyx of Australia, New Guinea, and neighboring islands.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun The native name adopted as a common name for the laughing-jackass, Dacelo gigas, a large species of kingfisher. The name is extensively used about Sydney and is given by E. P. Ramsay in his “Catalogue of Australian Birds.” See cut under
Dacelo .
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun Any of several species of
kingfishers in the genusDacelo , known for theirlaugh -like call.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun Australian kingfisher having a loud cackling cry
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Note the earliest (and correct) form of words: The kookaburra sits on, and not in, the old gum tree, a subtle distinction, certainly, but one that gives that muscular bird a slight hint of dominance, as befits the king of the bush designation that follows in the next line.
Archive 2009-08-01 2009
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As the party was looking on, a Laughing Jackass [kookaburra] sat gazing down in respectful silence, with no desire to show disloyalty by breaking out into a premier chuckle at the rather amusing scene.
Archive 2009-03-01 2009
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I have plans to restock it with fish (AKA kookaburra buffet) and lilies etc when things calm down after Xmas.
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There is a slightly odd piece in the current issue of the New Yorker in which David Sedaris describes an intimate encounter not so long ago with a tame kookaburra over lunch in Daylesford, Victoria.
Archive 2009-08-01 2009
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There is a slightly odd piece in the current issue of the New Yorker in which David Sedaris describes an intimate encounter not so long ago with a tame kookaburra over lunch in Daylesford, Victoria.
The Kookaburra 2009
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For all you birders out there, you can see/hear the kookaburra here.
Photo post: Hewitson 1853 Mourvedre – and Orlando (and a kookaburra) | Dr Vino's wine blog 2009
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Photo post: Hewitson 1853 Mourvedre – and Orlando (and a kookaburra)
Photo post: Hewitson 1853 Mourvedre – and Orlando (and a kookaburra) | Dr Vino's wine blog 2009
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Photo post: Hewitson 1853 Mourvedre – and Orlando (and a kookaburra) | Dr Vino's wine blog
Photo post: Hewitson 1853 Mourvedre – and Orlando (and a kookaburra) | Dr Vino's wine blog 2009
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We visited the vineyard at dusk and on the way back to the car, I heard a kookaburra laugh echo across the vineyard.
Photo post: Hewitson 1853 Mourvedre – and Orlando (and a kookaburra) | Dr Vino's wine blog 2009
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Note the earliest (and correct) form of words: The kookaburra sits on, and not in, the old gum tree, a subtle distinction, certainly, but one that gives that muscular bird a slight hint of dominance, as befits the king of the bush designation that follows in the next line.
The Kookaburra II 2009
chained_bear commented on the word kookaburra
A large, arboreal, brown kingfisher, Dacelo novæ-guineæ, distinguished by its peculiar laughing cry; formerly called the GOBURRA and also called the laughing jackass.
What a coincidence... Though I have never been called a kookaburra, I have on occasion been called "the laughing jackass."
February 7, 2007