parrot

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   repeat mindlessly

   The students parroted the teacher's words

2. 2
   noun

   A kind of bird, many species of which are colorful and able to mimic human speech, of the order Psittaciformes or (narrowly) of the family Psittacidae.

   I bought a wonderful parrot at the pet store.

3. 3
   noun

   A parroter; a person who repeats the words or ideas of others.

   What kind of a parrot are you? He just said that.

4. 4
   verb

   To repeat (exactly what has just been said) without necessarily showing understanding, in the manner of a parrot.

   The interviewee merely parroted the views of her tabloid.

5. 5
   noun

   usually brightly colored zygodactyl tropical birds with short hooked beaks and the ability to mimic sounds

6. 6
   noun

   a copycat who does not understand the words or acts being imitated

7. 7
   noun

   A puffin.

8. 8
   noun

   channel coal.

Etymology

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.