parrot

American  

[par-uht] / ˈpær ət /

noun

1. any of numerous hook-billed, often brilliantly colored birds of the order Psittaciformes, as the cockatoo, lory, macaw, or parakeet, having the ability to mimic speech and often kept as pets.

2. a person who, without thought or understanding, merely repeats the words or imitates the actions of another.

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verb (used with object)

1. to repeat or imitate without thought or understanding.

2. to teach to repeat or imitate in such a fashion.

parrot British  

/ ˈpærət /

noun

1. any bird of the tropical and subtropical order Psittaciformes, having a short hooked bill, compact body, bright plumage, and an ability to mimic sounds

2. a person who repeats or imitates the words or actions of another unintelligently

3. facetious extremely disappointed

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verb

1. (tr) to repeat or imitate mechanically without understanding

Other Word Forms

• parrotlike adjective
• parrotry noun
• parroty adjective

Etymology

Origin of parrot

1515–25; apparently < Middle French P ( i ) errot, diminutive of Pierre ( parakeet ), though a comparable sense of the French word is not known until the 18th century

Explanation

A parrot is a brightly colored tropical bird with a distinctly loud voice. If you see someone calling a colorful bird "Polly" and asking it if it wants a cracker, that's a parrot. Parrots are popular pets because many of them have the ability to mimic sounds they hear, sometimes including human speech. In fact, this skill has led to a secondary meaning of the word parrot, "mimic mindlessly." You could say, for example, "I'm not going to just parrot everything the teacher says — I'm no parrot." The origin of the word is uncertain, although we know that before parrot, this bird was called a popinjay.

Example Sentences

Lola the parrot is home after airport charm offense.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

Kids are entitled to a well-rounded education that teaches them to be better people, not just parrot information.

From Salon • Mar. 30, 2026

The site contains a large collection of fossils dating back about 1 million years, including a previously unknown ancestor of the kākāpō, a large flightless parrot.

From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026

In 1997 I was invited onto "The White Parrot Club", a popular Russian TV comedy show starring a white parrot called Arkasha.

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026

Finally, I settle on the parrot skirt Mami made me in imitation of the poodle skirt all the American girls are wearing.

From "Before We Were Free" by Julia Alvarez

Related Words

• recite