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, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Kuku sabzi (herb kuku) topped with barberries and walnuts
Etymology 1
From Persian کوکو ( kuku ) .
Noun
kuku (countable and uncountable , plural kukus )
An Iranian dish somewhat resembling a quiche or omelette .
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Japanese くく ( kuku , onomatopoeia for the sound of laughter) .
Interjection
kuku
( fandom slang , chiefly in translations of Japanese works) Alternative form of kukuku ( onomatopoeia for sinister laughter ) .
Aklanon
Etymology
Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kukuh .
Noun
kuku
( anatomy ) nail (on fingers and toes)
Albanian
Etymology
Onomatopoeic .
Interjection
kuku
mourn
The sound of an owl singing.
Anguthimri
Noun
kuku
( Mpakwithi ) maternal grandfather
( Mpakwithi ) paternal aunt
References
Terry Crowley, The Mpakwithi dialect of Anguthimri (1981), page 186
Basque
Kuku arrunta.
Etymology
Onomatopoeic , imitation of the bird’s call. Compare Spanish cuco , English cuckoo , Catalan cucut , Dutch koekoek , Russian кукушка ( kukuška ) etc.
Pronunciation
Noun
kuku anim
cuckoo
hidden , lurking
Declension
Further reading
Bikol Central
Etymology 1
From Proto-Philippine *kukuh , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kukuh , from Proto-Austronesian *kuSkuS .
Pronunciation
Hyphenation: ku‧ku
IPA (key ) : /ˈkuku/
Noun
kuku
Alternative form of kuko ( “ nails (fingers and toes) ” )
Etymology 2
Pronunciation
Hyphenation: ku‧ku
IPA (key ) : /kuʔˈku/
Noun
kùku
Alternative form of kuko ( “ chin ” )
Brunei Malay
Etymology
From Proto-Malayic *kuku , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kukuh , from Proto-Austronesian *kuSkuS .
Pronunciation
Noun
kuku
( anatomy ) nail ( on fingers and toes )
Chinese
Pronunciation
Noun
kuku
( Internet slang ) Alternative form of 矻矻 ( kūkū , “ busy ” )
kuku 自拍 ― kūkū zìpāi ― taking selfies all the time
Czech
Pronunciation
Interjection
kuku
cuckoo ( the sound of cuckoo )
Further reading
Fijian
Etymology
From Proto-Central-Pacific *kuku , from Proto-Oceanic *kuku , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kukuh , from Proto-Austronesian *kuSkuS .
Noun
kuku
( anatomy ) nail ( on fingers and toes )
Finnish
Etymology 1
Imitative of the sound made by a cuckoo/coua.
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /ˈkuku/ ,
Rhymes: -uku
Syllabification(key ) : ku‧ku
Hyphenation(key ) : ku‧ku
Noun
kuku
coua ( any terrestrial bird of the genus Coua , in the cuckoo family )
Declension
Etymology 2
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /ˈkukuˣ/ ,
Rhymes: -uku
Syllabification(key ) : ku‧ku
Hyphenation(key ) : ku‧ku
Verb
kuku
inflection of kukkua :
present active indicative connegative
second-person singular present imperative
second-person singular present active imperative connegative
Iban
Etymology
Inherited from Proto-Malayic *kuku , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kukuh , from Proto-Austronesian *kuSkuS .
Noun
kuku
( anatomy ) claw
References
Scott, N. C. (1956 ) A Dictionary of Sea Dayak , School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
Indonesian
Etymology
Inherited from Malay kuku , from Proto-Malayic *kuku , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kukuh , from Proto-Austronesian *kuSkuS .
Pronunciation
Noun
kuku (plural kuku -kuku )
( anatomy ) nail ( on fingers and toes )
( anatomy , loosely ) claw ; a curved, pointed horny nail on each digit of the foot of a mammal, reptile, or bird
Synonym: cakar
claw ; a mechanical device resembling a claw, used for gripping or lifting
Synonym: cakar
( anatomy ) hoof ; the tip of a toe of an ungulate such as a horse, ox or deer, strengthened by a thick keratin covering
( figurative , rare ) Synonym of kekuasaan
Derived terms
Further reading
Japanese
Romanization
kuku
Rōmaji transcription of くく
Javanese
Etymology
From Old Javanese kuku .
Noun
kuku (krama ngoko kuku , krama inggil kanaka )
( anatomy ) nail
References
The Linguistic Center of Yogyakarta (2011 ) “kuku”, in Kamus Basa Jawa (Bausastra Jawa) (in Javanese), 2nd edition, Yogyakarta: Kanisius, →ISBN
Kapampangan
Etymology 1
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /ˈkukuʔ/
Hyphenation: ku‧ku
Noun
kúkû
cough
Etymology 2
Compare Tagalog kuko .
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /kʊˈkuʔ/
Hyphenation: ku‧ku
Noun
kukû
fingernail ; toenail
Laboya
Etymology
From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kukuh , from Proto-Austronesian *kuSkuS₁ .
Noun
kuku
claw
References
Limos Kalinga
Noun
kukú
( anatomy ) nail ( on fingers and toes )
Malay
Etymology
From Proto-Malayic *kuku , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kukuh , from Proto-Austronesian *kuSkuS .
Pronunciation
Noun
kuku (Jawi spelling کوکو , plural kuku -kuku )
( anatomy ) nail ( on fingers and toes )
( anatomy ) hoof ; the tip of a toe of an ungulate such as a horse, ox or deer, strengthened by a thick keratin covering
( anatomy , loosely ) claw ; a curved, pointed horny nail on each digit of the foot of a mammal, reptile, or bird
Synonym: cakar
claw ; a mechanical device resembling a claw, used for gripping or lifting
Synonym: cakar
( figurative , rare ) Synonym of kekuasaan
Derived terms
Affixed terms and other derivations
Irregular affixed derivations, other derivations and compound words:
Descendants
References
Pijnappel, Jan (1875 ) “کوکو koekoe ”, in Maleisch-Hollandsch woordenboek , John Enschede en Zonen, Frederik Muller, page 95
Wilkinson, Richard James (1901 ) “کوکو kuku ”, in A Malay-English dictionary , Hong Kong: Kelly & Walsh limited, page 549
Wilkinson, Richard James (1932 ) “kuku ”, in A Malay-English dictionary (romanised) , volume I, Mytilene, Greece: Salavopoulos & Kinderlis, pages 620-1
Further reading
Maori
Etymology 1
From Proto-Oceanic *kuku “finger or toe nail” (compare with Samoan ʻuʻu “nail”, Tongan kuku “to grasp, to grip, to clutch”, Fijian kuku ) from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kuku “ibid.” (compare with Malay kuku , Tagalog kuko ).
Broadening in sense of “pinching” > “attraction” observable in the same language family e.g. Malay cuit (e.g. mencuit hati ).
Noun
kuku
pincers , tweezers , any tool or item that nips or pinches
( archaic ) finger or toe nail , alternative form of matikuku
( ~ o te manawa ) attraction
Verb
kuku (passive kukua )
to nip , to pinch
Synonyms: kini , kuti
to hold (of one's breath)
to clench (of one's fist)
Synonym: kumu
to shut (of one's eyes)
Synonym: kupi
to draw together and close an opening of something
Synonyms: kukumu , kuti
References
^ Ross, Malcolm D., Pawley, Andrew, Osmond, Meredith (2016 ) The lexicon of Proto-Oceanic , volumes 5: People, body and mind, Canberra: Australian National University, →ISBN , pages 176-7
Etymology 2
From Proto-Polynesian *kuku “mussel , any Mytilidae species” (compare with Rarotongan kuku , Samoan ʻuʻu , Tongan kuku ) from Proto-Oceanic *kukur “to scrape, any mussel with shells used for this purpose” from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kuDkuD “to scrape; rasp; grate” (compare with Malay kukur “to scrape , to scratch , to rasp”, Tagalog kudkod “grating (of coconut), shaving or scraping ”).
Verb
kuku
to grate , to scrape – usually part of compound verbs, otherwise an alternative form of kukū
Noun
kuku
any type of mussel
References
^ Tregear, Edward (1891 ) Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary , Wellington, New Zealand: Lyon and Blair, page 181
^ Ross, Malcolm D., Pawley, Andrew, Osmond, Meredith (2011 ) The lexicon of Proto-Oceanic , Canberra: Australian National University
volume 1: Material Culture, page 161 →ISBN
volume 4: Animals, pages 235-7 →ISBN
Derived terms
Further reading
Williams, Herbert William (1917 ) “kuku ”, in A Dictionary of the Maori Language , pages 180-1
“kuku ” in John C. Moorfield, Te Aka: Maori–English, English–Maori Dictionary and Index , 3rd edition, Longman/Pearson Education New Zealand, 2011, →ISBN .
Mapudungun
Noun
kuku ( Raguileo spelling )
paternal grandmother
grandchild
See also
References
Wixaleyiñ: Mapucezugun-wigkazugun pici hemvlcijka (Wixaleyiñ: Small Mapudungun-Spanish dictionary), Beretta, Marta; Cañumil, Dario; Cañumil, Tulio, 2008.
Ngizim
Noun
kukú (plural kukwakin )
baobab , Adansonia digitata
Nigerian Pidgin
Etymology
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium .) .
Adverb
kuku
really , truly
2024 March 17, Selin Girit and Grujica Andric, “Wetin go happun to your social media accounts wen you die”, in BBC News Pidgin :"I don do am almost 20 times and notin dey happun. I no kuku get di strength contact Facebook to fix am." "I have messaged him almost 20 times and nothing has happened. I don't really have the strength to contact Facebook to fix it."
Old Javanese
Etymology
From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kukuh .
Noun
kuku
nail (anatomy)
Polish
Etymology
Onomatopoeic .
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /ˈku.ku/
Rhymes: -uku
Syllabification: ku‧ku
Interjection
kuku
cuckoo (used to imitate the voice of a male cuckoo)
Noun
kuku n (indeclinable )
( childish , pathology ) boo-boo ( minor injury )
Synonyms: ranka , skaleczenie
Derived terms
Further reading
kuku in Wielki słownik języka polskiego , Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
kuku in Polish dictionaries at PWN
Serbo-Croatian
Etymology 1
Onomatopoeic .
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /kûkuː/
Hyphenation: ku‧ku
Interjection
kȕkū (Cyrillic spelling ку̏кӯ )
woe
The sound of a cuckoo singing.
Shout in a hide and seek game.
Etymology 2
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Noun
kuku (Cyrillic spelling куку )
dative / locative singular of kuk
Noun
kuku (Cyrillic spelling куку )
accusative singular of kuka
References
“kuku ”, in Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2025
Sranan Tongo
Etymology
Borrowed from Dutch koek .
Noun
kuku
cake , pastry
Sundanese
Etymology
From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kukuh , from Proto-Austronesian *kuSkuS .
Noun
kuku (Sundanese script ᮊᮥᮊᮥ )
( anatomy ) nail
Swahili
Etymology
From *nkʊ́kʊ́ , a variant of Common Bantu *nkókó .
Pronunciation
( Unguja standard ) IPA (key ) : /ˈku.ku/
( Kimvita ) IPA (key ) : /ˈkʰu.ku/
Noun
kuku class IX (plural kuku class X )
chicken , fowl
Derived terms
Descendants
See also
Tagal Murut
Noun
kuku
puppy ( young dog )
Thao
Etymology
From Proto-Austronesian *kuSkuS .
Noun
kuku
( anatomy ) fingernail ; toenail
Turkish
Pronunciation
Noun
kuku (definite accusative kukuyu , plural kukular )
( child talk ) female genitalia , vagina
Declension
See also
Ye'kwana
Pronunciation
Noun
kuku
a life-sized figure constructed from tree branches and other natural materials , symbolically killed in the aji'choto weja'kadü ritual
References
Lauer, Matthew Taylor (2005 ) Fertility in Amazonia: Indigenous Concepts of the Human Reproductive Process Among the Ye’kwana of Southern Venezuela , Santa Barbara: University of California, pages 239–240 : “cucu ”
Yogad
Noun
kukú
nail ; claw ; hoof
Noun
kuku
possession