Illustration of dodo
- dodo 1a
plural dodoes or dodos
1
a
: an extinct heavy flightless bird (Raphus cucullatus synonym Didus ineptus of the family Raphidae) of the island of Mauritius that was larger than a turkey and was related to the pigeon
b
: an extinct flightless bird (Raphus solitarius) of the island of Réunion similar to and closely related to the dodo
2
a
: one hopelessly behind the times
b
: a stupid person
Synonyms
Examples of dodo in a Sentence
That dodo can't do anything right.
I feel like a complete dodo.
Recent Examples on the Web
Creatures that would be little on the mainland, such as birds and lizards, tend to become massive in island settings—producing the 50-pound dodo and the ten-foot-long Komodo dragon, for example.
—
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Aug. 2024
The national bird of Mauritius is the dodo, which was once endemic to the island.
—James Rampton, theweek, 11 Apr. 2024
Wait, didn’t newsstands go the way of the dodo?
Not completely.
—Merle Ginsberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 June 2024
John Mueller argued that great-power war, like aristocratic dueling, had gone the way of the dodo.
—Tanisha M. Fazal, Foreign Affairs, 18 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for dodo 
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Aug. 2024
The national bird of Mauritius is the dodo, which was once endemic to the island.
—James Rampton, theweek, 11 Apr. 2024
Wait, didn’t newsstands go the way of the dodo?
Not completely.
—Merle Ginsberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 June 2024
John Mueller argued that great-power war, like aristocratic dueling, had gone the way of the dodo.
—Tanisha M. Fazal, Foreign Affairs, 18 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for dodo
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dodo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near dodo
Cite this Entry
“Dodo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dodo. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dodo
noun
do·do
ˈdōd-ō 
plural dodoes or dodos
1
: a large heavy flightless extinct bird related to the pigeons and formerly found on some of the islands of the Indian Ocean
2
a
: a person who is hopelessly behind the times
b
: a stupid person
Etymology
from Portuguese doudo, name given by Portuguese sailors to the bird, from doudo (adjective) "silly, stupid"
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