cooing

[ koo-ing ]
See synonyms for cooing on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. an act or instance of uttering or imitating the soft murmuring sound characteristic of doves: Jim recognized the sound as the cooing of a pigeon, although some of us thought it was an owl.

  2. the act of murmuring or talking fondly or admiringly: I’m no fan of fancy goodies—not for me the cooing over iced Halloween cupcakes topped with fondant pumpkins.

adjective
  1. making the sound characteristic of doves: Since February, the lake has come alive again with a few pairs of mallards and a cooing eider duck.

  2. murmuring or talking fondly or admiringly: Strolling on the boardwalk were cooing couples, briefcase-toting executives, and chattering children with their nannies.

Origin of cooing

1
First recorded in 1660–70; coo1 + -ing1 for the noun senses; coo1 + -ing2 for the adjective senses

Other words from cooing

  • coo·ing·ly, adverb

Words Nearby cooing

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use cooing in a sentence

  • When we passed the birds were singing instead, sending down with the cooing pigeons a chorus from the trees.

    The Relief of Mafeking | Filson Young
  • Amidst the many murmurs from forest and village, from the sea and the air, a sound of cooing could be distinguished.

    Toilers of the Sea | Victor Hugo
  • The baby ran its arms more closely around Raegen's neck and did not speak, unless its cooing in Raegen's ear was an answer.

    Gallegher and Other Stories | Richard Harding Davis
  • The doves were cooing and fluttering in the cornices and the cockatoo was preening his lemon colored topknot.

    The Adventures of Kathlyn | Harold MacGrath
  • Sometimes we hear the pigeons running on the outsides of the shingles and cooing under the eaves.