What is the meaning of the phrase ‘cuckoo for cocoa puffs’?
Excited, irrational, crazy or insane.
What is the origin of the phrase ‘cuckoo for cocoa puffs’?
The phrase ‘cuckoo for cocoa puffs’ is derived from an American TV advert that came out in the 1960s for a chocolate flavoured breakfast cereal called Cocoa Puffs produced by General Mills.
In the advert, there’s a character called Sonny the Cuckoo Bird, who says “I go cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs!‘ as a way of saying that he’s overwhelmingly attracted to this cereal. Here, the word ‘cuckoo’ is being used as a synonym for ‘crazy’.
Following this, the whole phrase ‘cuckoo for cocoa puffs’ came to mean ‘crazy, insane or generally irrational’. It’s usually spoken with a light-hearted humour, and it’s also a good way of saying that someone is very passionate about something.
Today, the phrase is still used in casual, everyday conversation to express excitement or enthusiasm, and can be found in books, on TV, and online.
