Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A small owl, Athene boobook, of a rusty red color, found in Australia and Tasmania: so named on account of its peculiar call or hoot.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Any of various owls of Asia and Australasia of the genus Ninox.

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • They sit so still on any wires around and I actually love their 'boobook' noise.

    The mysteries of rabies Boing Boing 2009

  • Nor, I think is it anything to do with the boobook, as the subtle brown owl we called the mopoke is more properly known.

    Archive 2009-08-01 2009

  • Nor, I think is it anything to do with the boobook, as the subtle brown owl we called the mopoke is more properly known.

    The Kookaburra II 2009

  • It was the boobook owl, mopoke, a totem being to the Arrernte Aborigines of these arid lands along the Macdonnell Ranges to the west of Alice Springs.

    Wildwood Roger Deakin 2009

  • The first white settlers called Ninox boobook the cuckoo owl; to the Arrernte, it was the arkularkua.

    Wildwood Roger Deakin 2009

  • It was the boobook owl, mopoke, a totem being to the Arrernte Aborigines of these arid lands along the Macdonnell Ranges to the west of Alice Springs.

    Wildwood Roger Deakin 2009

  • The first white settlers called Ninox boobook the cuckoo owl; to the Arrernte, it was the arkularkua.

    Wildwood Roger Deakin 2009

  • The Norfolk Island boobook (Ninox novaeseelandiae royana), an endemic owl, was reduced to a single female in 1987 but has since mated successfully with a male New Zealand boobook (Ninox novaeseelandiae), and some of their offspring have also survived and bred.

    Norfolk Island subtropical forests 2008

  • Four of these species are considered vulnerable: Sumba buttonquail (Turnix everetti), red-naped fruit-dove (Ptilinopus dohertyi), Sumba boobook (Ninox rudolfi), and Sumba hornbill (Aceros everetti).

    Sumba deciduous forests 2008

  • Right, boobook - don't have the audacity to condescend to me, whoever you are.

    newmatilda.com - Comments 2009

Comments

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  • A small spotted owl native to Australia and New Zealand. I suspect this is what it sounds like when it calls. :-)

    February 14, 2007

  • What a (h)owl!

    July 21, 2010

  • A "nOtusably" fine word!

    July 21, 2010

  • Aha... and if you were responsible for the care and feeding of the boobook, would you be a boobookkeeper?

    July 21, 2010

  • Are there more or less boo-boos allowed for a boobookkeeper?

    July 21, 2010

  • Fewer than for a raccoonnookkeeper, that's for sure.

    July 21, 2010

  • *snort*

    July 22, 2010

  • I exclaim this when it's really cold and I want something to read.

    July 22, 2010