Illustration of dodo
- dodo 1a
plural dodoes or dodos
1
a
: an extinct heavy flightless bird (Raphus cucullatus synonym Didus ineptus of the family Columbidae) of the island of Mauritius that was larger than a turkey and was related to the pigeon
b
: an extinct flightless bird (Raphus solitarius) of the island of Réunion similar to and closely related to the dodo
2
a
: one hopelessly behind the times
b
: a stupid person
Examples of dodo in a Sentence
That dodo can't do anything right.
I feel like a complete dodo.
Recent Examples on the Web
Scientists tested more than 300 combinations of growth factors, small molecules, and metabolites to develop the cells of Nicobar pigeons, the closest relative to the dodo.
—
Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 19 Sep. 2025
With gene edits, Colossal believes these chickens could one day breed dodos.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2025
For van Oosterhout, however, the real utility is not in resurrecting the dodo, but in applying the company’s findings to help species recover.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025
Colossal's de-extinction projects now span dodos, dire wolves, mammoths, and moas.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dodo
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 19 Sep. 2025
With gene edits, Colossal believes these chickens could one day breed dodos.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2025
For van Oosterhout, however, the real utility is not in resurrecting the dodo, but in applying the company’s findings to help species recover.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025
Colossal's de-extinction projects now span dodos, dire wolves, mammoths, and moas.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dodo
Cite this Entry
“Dodo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dodo. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dodo
noun
do·do
ˈdōd-ō 
plural dodoes or dodos
1
: a large heavy flightless extinct bird related to the pigeons and formerly found on some of the islands of the Indian Ocean
2
a
: a person who is hopelessly behind the times
b
: a stupid person
Etymology
from Portuguese doudo, name given by Portuguese sailors to the bird, from doudo (adjective) "silly, stupid"
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share