What does daw mean?
A daw is a jackdaw: the small, sociable black-and-grey member of the crow family found across Europe, western Asia, and North Africa, known for nesting in cavities such as church towers and chimneys and for its habit of collecting bright objects. The word is the older, shorter English name for the bird and remains recognizable mainly in British dialect and literary contexts, where "jackdaw" is now the standard term. Historically, the daw also carried a figurative sense denoting a simpleton or dupe — a slur rooted in the folk belief that the bird was foolishly attracted to glittering trinkets. Writers from Chaucer onward used the word both literally and mockingly. Today the daw survives mostly in regional speech, ornithological history, and poetry, making it a charmingly antique alternative to its modern counterpart and a reminder of how everyday bird names fall out of fashion over centuries.
nounA daw is a jackdaw, a small, gregarious Eurasian bird of the crow family (Corvus monedula), with glossy black plumage and a grey nape. The term is chiefly British and somewhat archaic or dialectal, having largely given way to "jackdaw" in modern usage.
- A jackdaw (Corvus monedula), a small black corvid bird of Europe, western Asia, and North Africa.
- (Archaic/dialectal) A simpleton or fool — a figurative sense playing on the bird's supposed thieving silliness.
"A chattering daw perched on the church tower, its pale eye catching the morning light."
"The old church tower was home to dozens of nesting daws."
"He played the daw, letting sharper men talk him out of his savings."
Standard pluralization; no irregular forms exist.
"Flocks of daws gathered on the rooftops as evening fell."
The humble daw gave English the phrase 'to daw' — but Shakespeare's audiences knew it as the bird that steals shiny things and nests in chimneys.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of daw
The word "daw" derives from Old English "dāw", related to Old High German "tāha", referring to the jackdaw. It is a genuinely ancient Germanic bird-name, predating the compound "jackdaw", which arose in the 16th century by adding "Jack" as a familiar prefix (as in "jackass"). Cognate forms appear across Germanic languages, all pointing to a shared Proto-Germanic root for this particular corvid. The shortened form gradually fell out of general use as "jackdaw" became dominant from around the sixteenth century onward.
How daw is actually used
"Daw" is chiefly British, rural, and now rather archaic; "jackdaw" has almost entirely replaced it. The pejorative figurative sense ("a daw" = a fool) survives only in older literature. Avoid using "daw" as though it were current common speech outside of historical or deliberately rustic registers.
Easily confused with daw
Jackdaw is the standard modern name for the bird; 'daw' is simply an older, shorter form of the same word, now largely confined to British dialect and literary use.
Draw is a verb meaning to sketch or pull; it shares a similar vowel sound with daw but is entirely unrelated.