[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/loon/)

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# loon

noun (a loon, loons)

«loon» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A large water bird of North America and northern Europe with a haunting call, good at diving for fish (called a diver in the UK). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/loon/#m1)
2. (informal) A silly, crazy or strange person. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/loon/#m2)
3. (Scotland, informal) A boy or young man (also spelled «loon» in the north-east). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/loon/#m3)

### In the lessons

In Canada and the northern USA the loon is a famous bird; it is on the Canadian one-dollar coin, which is called the «loonie». In everyday slang calling someone a «loon» means they are acting crazy, usually in a joking way. Phrases: crazy as a loon, the call of the loon.

### Examples

- We heard a loon calling across the lake at night. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/loon/#x1)
- The loon dived under the water to catch a fish. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/loon/#x2)
- My uncle is a bit of a loon, but he is very funny. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/loon/#x3)
- Stop acting like a loon! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/loon/#x4)
- The Canadian coin with the loon on it is called a loonie. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/loon/#x5)
- A loon has red eyes and a black-and-white back. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/loon/#x6)
- «You absolute loon,» laughed Gran. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/loon/#x7)

### Note

Plural: loons. Related: loony or looney (crazy — can hurt people with mental illness, so use kindly), loonie (Canadian dollar). In British English the bird is called a «diver».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «loon» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/loon/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«loon» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/loon.html) on Mova free.