: 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
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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.
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
Noun
Share [Findings] In Maine, a loon stabbed a bald eagle through the heart.—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 19 June 2024 Climate change and land use are affecting Wisconsin's loon population, which has dropped 22% in the last three decades.—Hope Karnopp, Journal Sentinel, 9 June 2024 Minnesota: The state also has 11 attractions, including the largest loon, which is the state bird.—Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 13 May 2024 Those revisions have shrunk the size of some of the loons, with Horne pointing to the costs associated with acquiring the real estate.—Eric D. Lawrence, Detroit Free Press, 13 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for loon
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'loon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English loun
Noun (2)
of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse lōmr loon
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