- [countable] (especially British English) a short loud laugh or shout
- The suggestion was greeted by hoots of laughter.
- He struggled through his speech while members of the audience interrupted with hoots and jeers.
Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
- [singular] (informal) a situation or a person that you find very funny
- You ought to meet her—she's a hoot!
- The film was a real hoot!
- [countable] the loud sound made by the horn of a vehicle
- [countable] the call of an owlTopics Birdsc2
Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘make sounds of derision’): perhaps imitative.
Idioms
See hoot in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionarynot care/give a hoot | not care/give two hoots
- (informal) not to care at all
- I don’t care two hoots about having money, as long as I’m happy.
Check pronunciation:
hoot