Illustration of cockatoo
cockatoo
noun
cock·a·too
ˈkä-kə-ˌtü 
plural cockatoos
: any of various large noisy chiefly Australasian crested parrots (family Cacatuidae and especially genus Cacatua)
Examples of cockatoo in a Sentence
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Black cockatoos sweeping across the sky.
—
Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
In a video shared on Instagram, Robert introduced a koala, a snake, and the cockatoo — who tried to bite one of the letters off — to his trophy.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
There are eight rooms lined with small cages containing chicks — African greys, macaws, and cockatoos.
—Rene Ebersole, Rolling Stone, 18 Nov. 2025
Leaves may be flat or wavy or even cylindrical and shaped like tusks, arranged in a configuration like a fan, or maybe a pineapple top or the most emphatic of cockatoo’s crests.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2025
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Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
In a video shared on Instagram, Robert introduced a koala, a snake, and the cockatoo — who tried to bite one of the letters off — to his trophy.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
There are eight rooms lined with small cages containing chicks — African greys, macaws, and cockatoos.
—Rene Ebersole, Rolling Stone, 18 Nov. 2025
Leaves may be flat or wavy or even cylindrical and shaped like tusks, arranged in a configuration like a fan, or maybe a pineapple top or the most emphatic of cockatoo’s crests.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cockatoo
Cite this Entry
“Cockatoo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cockatoo. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cockatoo
noun
cock·a·too
ˈkäk-ə-ˌtü
plural cockatoos
: any of various large noisy usually showy chiefly Australasian parrots that have a bunch of feathers on the head
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