To be “as dead as a Dodo” will have originated in the late 17th century following the extinction of the flightless bird, the Dodo. The Dodo is commonly used as the archetype of an extinct species because its extinction occurred during recorded human history, and was directly attributable to human activity.

The dodo's significance as one of the best-known extinct animals and its singular appearance has led to its use in literature and popular culture to symbolise a concept or object that will or has become out of date, expressed in the expression "dead as a dodo" or "gone the way of the dodo".