kea

¹

[ key-uh, kee-uh ]

noun

1. a large, greenish New Zealand parrot, Nestor notabilis.

Kea

²

[ key-ah, kee-uh ]

noun

1. Keos.

Kéa

¹

/ ˈkɛa /

noun

1. transliteration of the Modern Greek name for Keos

Kea

²

noun

1. (in New Zealand) a member of the junior branch of the Scouts

kea

³

/ ˈkeɪə /

noun

1. a large New Zealand parrot, Nestor notabilis, with brownish-green plumage

Word History and Origins

Origin of kea¹

Borrowed into English from Maori around 1860–65

Word History and Origins

Origin of kea¹

from kea

Origin of kea²

C19: from Māori, imitative of its call

Example Sentences

Rounding out the top five were the kea, kākāpō and the fantail.

From BBC

At least one major zoo, at Chester, said it would close while Bristol Zoo said squirrel monkeys, kea parrots and red pandas were being fed frozen ice lollies filled with vegetables, leaves or mealworms.

From Reuters

Bruce is a kea, a species of parrot found only in New Zealand.

From New York Times

The first parrot species known to open trash bins was the kea in New Zealand in a park setting.

From New York Times

The huge cast includes storm petrels, Australia’s “fire hawks” and the kea, a cheeky New Zealand parrot.

From New York Times