galah

noun

ga·​lah gə-ˈlä How to pronounce galah (audio)
: an Australian cockatoo (Eolophus roseicapilla synonym Cacatua roseicapilla) that has the back, wings, and tail gray and the head and underparts various shades of rosy pink, that sometimes is a pest in wheat-growing areas, and that is often kept as a cage bird

Examples of galah in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The aging 8-meter statue, of a local species of cockatoo called the galah, marks a roughly midway point between the eastern and western coasts of Australia. Jacqueline Williams, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2018 Rainbow lorikeets and bright pink galah cockatoos flitted between eucalyptus trees and banksia blossoms that resembled giant yellow and orange candles. Margo Pfeiff, latimes.com, 25 Feb. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'galah.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Gamilaraay and Yuwaalaraay (Australian aboriginal languages of northern New South Wales) gilaa

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of galah was in 1862

Dictionary Entries Near galah

Cite this Entry

“Galah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/galah. Accessed 13 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on galah

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