rhizoverbBeta
DictionarycootEccentric older man
noun

coot

KOOT/kuːt/

A foolish or eccentric person, especially an older man.

The old coot waters a plastic flamingo instead of the nearby plant.

An elderly man waters a plastic flamingo while a real plant wilts.
Etymology
coteMiddle Englishwaterbird

The silly-person sense is recorded by 1766; deeper origin is uncertain.

More examples

  • He dismissed the grumbling visitor as an old coot.
  • The neighbors affectionately called him a cheerful coot.

Forms

coot

Similar words

eccentric
Emphasizes unconventional behavior without necessarily implying foolishness.
codger
Is another informal term for an older man.