coxcomb
noun
[ ˈkɒkskəʊm ]
• a vain and conceited man; a dandy.
• variant spelling of cockscomb (sense 2).
Origin:
mid 16th century (denoting a simpleton): variant of cockscomb, in the sense ‘jester's cap’ (resembling a cockscomb), hence ‘a jester, a fool’.
cockscomb
noun
• the crest or comb of a domestic cock.
• a tropical plant with a crest of tiny yellow, orange, or red flowers, grown as a pot plant.
• a brightly coloured orchid of southern North America, related to the coralroots.
