kakapo

noun

ka·​ka·​po ˌkä-kə-ˈpō How to pronounce kakapo (audio)
plural kakapos
: a large chiefly nocturnal burrowing New Zealand parrot (Strigops habroptila) that has green and brown barred plumage and well-developed wings with little power of flight

Examples of kakapo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Life The pursuit for a high quality genome begins with this rare bird The Vertebrate Genomes Project may spell good news for the kakapo and the vaquita. Big Think, 24 June 2024 Ultimately, however, the defeated favorites graciously conceded defeat to the kakapo, which previously won the award in 2008. Rob Picheta, CNN, 16 Nov. 2020 But the islands contain an amazing variety of birds—not predatory birds, which might have an edge in the competition with the rodents, but many species of small songbirds and several small native flightless birds (kiwi, weka, kakapo). Martha C. Nussbaum, The New York Review of Books, 17 Nov. 2022 According to NBC News, second place went to a flightless parrot — and last year's winner — called the kakapo, which lost this year by just under 3,000 votes. Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, 1 Nov. 2021 Equally, wildlife encounters—from swimming with dolphins, kayaking with seals, or visiting conservation programs to learn about flightless species like the penguin, the kiwi and the kakapo— make a very meaningful visit to our shores. Liz Cantrell, Travel + Leisure, 5 May 2021 The kakapo, officially the world's heaviest parrot, won New Zealand's Bird of the Year vote after a weeks-long campaign that rivaled human political contests in intensity. Rob Picheta, CNN, 16 Nov. 2020 The kakapo, which prevailed on Monday, is a hefty, loud parrot with a distinctive scent, which was brought from the brink of extinction in the 1990s but remains endangered. Rob Picheta, CNN, 16 Nov. 2020 As the kakapo population grows, additional safe havens are needed. Sarah Lazarus, CNN, 26 Dec. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'kakapo.' 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

Maori

First Known Use

1843, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kakapo was in 1843

Dictionary Entries Near kakapo

Cite this Entry

“Kakapo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kakapo. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.

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