dodo

A large, flightless bird, †Raphus cucullatus, related to the pigeon, that is now extinct (since the 1600s) and was native to Mauritius.

Noun

  1. A large, flightless bird, †Raphus cucullatus, related to the pigeon, that is now extinct (since the 1600s) and was native to Mauritius.
    • In spite of the most active search, during the last century, no information respecting the dodo was obtained, and some authors have gone so far as to pretend that it never existed; […] - 1835, Charles Lyell, chapter...
    • Within a very few years after these islands shall have become regularly settled, in all probability this fox will be classed with the dodo, as an animal which has perished from the face of the earth. - 1839, Charles...
    • Wildlife biologist Stanley Temple hypothesised that perhaps the dodo tree was dependent on its seeds passing through the digestive system of dodos in order to properly germinate and that the handful of individuals in...
  2. A person or organisation which is very old or has very old-fashioned views or is not willing to change and adapt.
  3. A hole in one.
    • "Most of the aces weren't on holes I would have liked to have made them on," confessed Colk, who dropped his fifth dodo of 1935 on December 29, which was believed at the time to be a record for most aces in a year. -...

Origin

Uncertain. Perhaps from obsolete Portuguese doudo (“fool, simpleton, silly, stupid”) or Dutch dodaars. First attested in the 17th century.

Forms

dodoes dodos

Related

didine ratite

Derived

as dead as a dodo dead as a dodo dodo bird dodoesque dodoism dodolike dodoness dodo tree go the way of the dodo go the way of the dodo bird little dodo

Noun Nigeria, uncountable

  1. Fried plantain.
    • Dodo is everybody's favorite! It is a superb snack, a side dish, a breakfast food or a dessert all rolled into one. The best dodo is made from soft (almost over ripe) plantain which is cut in 1/2 inch thick diagonal...
    • Mother had banned it a year or so earlier after Obembe and I stole pieces from Mother's cooler, and lied that we'd seen rats eating the dodos. - 2015, Chigozie Obioma, The Fishermen: A Novel:
    • One popular Nigerian dish is fried plantain, which is called “dodo.” - 2018, Remmi Smith, The Healthy Teen Cookbook: Around the World In 80 Fantastic Recipes:

Origin

Borrowed from Yoruba dòdò (“fried plantain”).

Derived

gizdodo