Hoot is the deep, resonant call that owls make, especially at night. If you've ever been camping and heard a rhythmic “hoo-hoo-hoo” echoing through the dark woods, you've heard an owl hooting. Different owl species have different hoots: some are low and gentle, others sharp and eerie.

The word also means to shout in disapproval or mockery. When an audience hoots at a bad performance, they're expressing their displeasure loudly. Similarly, when someone tells a ridiculous story, their friends might hoot with laughter at how absurd it is.

People use hoot informally to describe something hilariously funny. If your friend says “that movie was a hoot,” they mean it made them laugh constantly. The phrase “I don't give a hoot” means you don't care about something at all.

The word captures a specific quality of sound: loud, often prolonged, and carrying across a distance. Whether it's an owl calling to its mate, a crowd expressing disapproval, or friends laughing at an outrageous joke, a hoot is never quiet or subtle.