cockatoo

noun

cock·​a·​too ˈkä-kə-ˌtü How to pronounce cockatoo (audio)
plural cockatoos
: any of various large noisy chiefly Australasian crested parrots (family Cacatuidae and especially genus Cacatua)

Illustration of cockatoo

Illustration of cockatoo

Examples of cockatoo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Video of the cockatoos using the fountain was shared by LiveScience. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 5 June 2025 Over 44 days, the team recorded nearly 14 hours of the cockatoos around the fountain. Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2025 This cockatoo just got his sight back and saw his former owner after a decade... and his reaction? Ronnie Li, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025 Hoping to learn more about the learned behavior, researchers set up trail cameras to capture video of the cockatoos drinking, according to the study. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 5 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for cockatoo

Word History

Etymology

Dutch kaketoe, from Malay kakatua

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cockatoo was in 1634

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Cite this Entry

“Cockatoo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cockatoo. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

cockatoo

noun
cock·​a·​too ˈkäk-ə-ˌtü How to pronounce cockatoo (audio)
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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