parrot

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A brightly coloured tropical bird with a hooked beak that can copy human speech.

   I bought a wonderful green parrot at the pet store.

2. 2
   verb

   To repeat someone else's words without really understanding them.

   The interviewee simply parroted the views of her favourite newspaper.

First attested in 1525. From Middle French perrot, either a diminutive of Pierre or a shortened form of perroquet (whence also parakeet). Compare French pierrot and Occitan parrat. A number of origins have been suggested for perroquet, such as Spanish periquito and Italian parrocchetto. The relationship between these various words is disputed. Replaced earlier popinjay.

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