parrot

 
Pronunciation: /ˈparət/

noun

  • a bird, often vividly coloured, with a short downcurved hooked bill, grasping feet, and a raucous voice, found especially in the tropics and feeding on fruits and seeds. Many are popular as cage birds, and some are able to mimic the human voice.
    • Order Psittaciformes: numerous species, sometimes all placed in the family Psittacidae. The order also contains the cockatoos, lories, lovebirds, macaws, conures, and budgerigar

verb (parrots, parroting, parroted)

[with object]
  • repeat mechanically: encouraging students to parrot back information

Origin:

early 16th century: probably from dialect French perrot, diminutive of the male given name Pierre 'Peter'. Compare with parakeet

Spelling rule

Do not double the final consonant when adding endings which begin with a vowel to a word which ends in a vowel plus a consonant, if the stress is not at the end of the word (as in target): (parrots, parroting, parroted).