What does cooey mean?
Cooey is a distinctive, far-carrying call used chiefly to attract attention or signal one's position over long distances, particularly in open country such as the Australian bush. It consists of two clear notes — typically rendered 'coo-ee' — pitched high enough to travel remarkably far through trees and valleys, which made it indispensable to bushmen, drovers, and search parties. The word can function as a noun for the call itself ('a distant cooey') or, less commonly, as a verb meaning to utter it. Borrowed from an Indigenous Australian language, it entered English during the colonial period and became so emblematic that it served as a rallying symbol for Australian troops in the First World War. Though informal, it remains a beloved piece of Australian vocabulary, evoking the outback even when heard far from home.
A loud, high-pitched, two-note call used to attract attention over long distances.
"We heard a cooey echoing down the gorge and knew the others had found the track."
Especially associated with rural Australia; often written 'cooee'.
To utter a cooey call, typically to signal one's location or summon someone.
"He stood on the ridge and cooeyed until the stragglers turned back."
The cooey carries so well through the Australian bush that it became legendary among drovers and bushwalkers — one sharp 'coo-ee!' could summon help from miles away.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cooey
Cooey derives from an Indigenous Australian language of the Sydney region, having been adopted into English by colonists in the late eighteenth century as they encountered its remarkable carrying power in the bush. It spread through Australian colonial society and back to Britain, where dictionaries recorded it by the nineteenth century under both 'cooey' and 'cooee' spellings. Because the source language's exact cognates were not systematically documented, no firm related words survive in English beyond the word itself.
How cooey is actually used
Strongly associated with Australia, where it is considered characteristically national; the word was widely used in British English in the late 19th and early 20th centuries but has since faded there. Informal in register. The spellings 'cooey' and 'cooee' are both accepted, with 'cooee' now more common in Australian usage.
Easily confused with cooey
'Cuckoo' is a bird name (and by extension a term for madness), whereas 'cooey' is a human attention-getting cry despite the superficially similar sound.