cock-a-doodle-doo: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low-frequencyInformal, Onomatopoeic, Child-oriented
Quick answer
What does “cock-a-doodle-doo” mean?
An onomatopoeic word imitating the loud, shrill cry of a rooster.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An onomatopoeic word imitating the loud, shrill cry of a rooster.
It can refer to the act or sound of a rooster crowing, and is often used in children's stories and contexts to represent morning or a rural setting.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or form. Minor potential differences exist in the perception of its length or exact phonetic imitation, but it's standard in both varieties.
Connotations
Both carry the same connotations of rural life, morning, and simplicity. It is a classic, almost stereotypical representation of a farmyard sound.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both varieties, primarily appearing in children's literature, language learning materials, and comedic contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “cock-a-doodle-doo” in a Sentence
[S] The rooster [verb] every morning.[It V] Cock-a-doodle-doo! cried the rooster.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cock-a-doodle-doo” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The old cockerel still cock-a-doodle-doos at first light.
- I was rudely cock-a-doodle-dooed awake.
American English
- The rooster cock-a-doodle-dooed from the top of the fence.
- Don't tell me you're going to cock-a-doodle-doo before sunrise again!
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Only used in linguistic studies of onomatopoeia or children's literature.
Everyday
Used humorously or with children to imitate a rooster. An adult might exclaim it jokingly to indicate an early hour.
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cock-a-doodle-doo”
- Writing it without hyphens: 'cockadoodledoo'.
- Using it as a regular noun/verb in formal writing.
- Incorrect stress: stressing 'cock' instead of the final 'doo'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is the conventional onomatopoeia in English specifically for the crowing sound made by a rooster (male chicken).
Yes, informally. For example, 'The rooster cock-a-doodle-dooed at sunrise.' However, the standard verb is 'to crow'.
The hyphens connect the sequence of syllables that together imitate the sound. It's a stylistic convention for longer onomatopoeic phrases, treating them as a single lexical unit.
Yes, but it varies greatly. For instance, in French it's 'cocorico', in German 'kikeriki', in Spanish 'quiquiriquí', and in Russian 'кукареку' (kukareku). This demonstrates how languages perceive and imitate sounds differently.
An onomatopoeic word imitating the loud, shrill cry of a rooster.
Cock-a-doodle-doo is usually informal, onomatopoeic, child-oriented in register.
Cock-a-doodle-doo: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkɒk ə ˌduːd(ə)l ˈduː/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkɑːk ə ˌduːd(ə)l ˈduː/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “At the crack of dawn (related concept, not direct idiom)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a COCK (rooster) saying 'A DOODLE DOO' (a silly phrase) every morning. The hyphens connect the silly sound to the animal.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOUND IS AN ACTION (the name of the sound stands for the event of crowing).
Practice
Quiz
In which of the following contexts would the word 'cock-a-doodle-doo' be MOST appropriately used?