peacock

UK: /ˈpiːˌkɒk/ US: /ˈpiˌkɑk/ ,(pē′kok′)

Inflections of 'peacock' (n):

peacocks

npl (All usages)

peacock

npl (Can be used as a collective plural—e.g. "There are peacock in the gardens.")

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pea•cock /ˈpiˌkɑk/   n. [countable] , pl. -cocks, (esp. when thought of as a group) -cock. 

1. Birds a male bird known for its long, erect, bright, shining tail feathers that are marked with eyelike spots and can be spread in a fan.
2. one too interested in his or her appearance.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pea•cock  (pē′kok′), n., pl. -cocks, ([esp. collectively] ) -cock. v. 
n. 

1. Birds the male of the peafowl distinguished by its long, erectile, greenish, iridescent tail coverts that are brilliantly marked with ocellated spots and that can be spread in a fan.
2. Birds any peafowl.
3. a vain, self-conscious person.
4. (cap.) [Astron.] the constellation Pavo.

v.i. 
5. to make a vainglorious display;
   strut like a peacock.
• Latin pāvōn- pavo) + cok (Old English coc cock¹)
• Middle English pecok, equivalent. to pe- (Old English pēa peafowl 1250–1300
pea′cock′er•y, pea′cock′ism, n. 
pea′cock′ish, pea′cock′y, adj. 
pea′cock′ish•ly, adv. 
pea′cock′ish•ness, n. 

Pea•cock  (pē′kok′), n. 

1. Biographical Thomas Love, 1785–1866, English poet and novelist.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

peacock / ˈpiːˌkɒk/ noun ( -cocks, -cock)

1. a male peafowl, having a crested head and a very large fanlike tail marked with blue and green eyelike spots
2. another name for peafowl
3. a vain strutting person

verb

1. to display (oneself) proudly

Etymology: 14th Century pecok, pe- from Old English pāwa (from Latin pāvō peacock) + cock¹

ˈpeaˌcockish adjective

ˈpeaˌhen noun:feminine

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Peacock / ˈpiːˌkɒk/ noun

1. Thomas Love. 1785–1866, English novelist and poet, noted for his satirical romances, including Headlong Hall (1816) and Nightmare Abbey (1818)