cockatoo
pronunciation
How to pronounce cockatoo in British English:
UK [ˌkɒkəˈtu:]
How to pronounce cockatoo in American English:
US [ˈkɑkətu]
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- Noun:
- white or light-colored crested parrot of the Australian region; often kept as cage birds
Word Origin
- cockatoo
- cockatoo: [17] Cockatoo was originally a Malay word, although it has changed somewhat under the influence of English cock. It comes via Dutch kaketoe from Malay kakatua, a compound formed from kakak ‘elder brother or sister’ and tua ‘old’. A related word is cockatiel ‘small Australian parrot’ [19]; it comes ultimately from Portuguese cacatilha, formed from Malay kakatua with the Portuguese diminutive suffix -ilha, and it reached English via Dutch kaketielje.
- cockatoo (n.)
- 1610s, from Dutch kaketoe, from Malay kakatua, possibly echoic, or from kakak "elder brother or sister" + tua "old." Also cockatiel (1880), from Dutch diminutive kaketielje (1850), which is perhaps influenced by Portuguese. Spelling influenced by cock (n.1).
Example
- 1. Citron crested cockatoo exotic bird pet matted print .
- 2. Although the cockatoo is intelligent , birds don 't speak .
- 3. Obama recounts in his book dreams from my father being amazed to find the house they moved into on the outskirts of jakarta had a collection of exotic animals including a monkey , birds of paradise , a cockatoo and several baby crocodiles .
- 4. You look like a damned cockatoo .
- 5. High polished cockatoo timeless bookmarker bookmark new .