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Added 9 October 2026

squawk

/skwɔːk/ noun

Categories: ActionsLanguageRare Words

First recorded: 1821 Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about squawk at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. The noise of squawking.
    she awoke to the squawk of chickens
  2. Informal terms for objecting.
    I have a gripe about the service here

verb

  1. Utter a harsh abrupt scream.
  2. Complain.
    What was he hollering about?

Origin

First attested in 1821. Unknown, but probably of imitative origin (compare dialectal Italian squacco (“small-crested heron”) and English quack).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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