English
dodo
Dodo may come from Portuguese doudo ‘fool, simpleton, silly, stupid’.
- Portuguesec. 1500–presentdoudo‘fool, simpleton, silly, stupid’uncertain
- Englishearliest quotation 1835dodo
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Portuguesec. 1500–presentdoudo‘fool, simpleton, silly, stupid’uncertain
- Englishearliest quotation 1835dodo
Earliest quotation: 1835, Charles Lyell, London: John Murray: “In spite of the most active search, during the…”
first attested First attested in the 17th century (as stated in the etymology)
The story
First attested in the 17th century.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- ‘to take’
decent, tail, dignity, decoration, decor, disdain, paradox, indignation, dainty, fonda, dogma, indignant, décor, dignitary, deign, digne, 53 more
through Proto-Italic *dokeō ‘to cause to perceive’
through Latin doceō ‘to teach’
doctor, document, doctrine, doctrinal, docile, docent, dox, 16 more
Another origin of dodo
- Yorubamoderndòdò‘fried plantain’
- Englishtodaydodo
Today it means
noun A large, flightless bird, †Raphus cucullatus, related to the pigeon, that is now extinct (since the 1600s) and was native to Mauritius.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Portuguese doudo / dodo