lorikeet
noun
lor·i·keet
ˈlȯr-ə-ˌkēt 
ˈlär-
: any of numerous small arboreal chiefly Australasian parrots (family Loriidae) that usually have long slender tongue papillae which form an organ resembling a brush
Examples of lorikeet in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Cross eastward into the Lesser Sunda Islands, Sulawesi and New Guinea, and the faunal landscape shifts to Australian species—marsupials, such as tree possums climb through forests, cockatoos and lorikeets speckle the skies and egg-laying mammals like echidnas make an appearance.
—
Scott Travers, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
Hunted heavily across Polynesia for their dazzling feathers, the lorikeets were extirpated from nearly all of their native islands by 1900, with Rimatara standing as one final bastion for the birds.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
This popular roadside attraction in Picacho, Arizona, about halfway between Phoenix and Tucson, has exotic animals on display, including ostriches, miniature donkeys, deer, lorikeets and more.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 2 Aug. 2024
The cowering and other expressions of anxiety seen in dogs were also observed in baboons, gorillas, giraffes, and flamingos, as well as in parrots and other species of lorikeets.
—TIME, 25 Mar. 2024
Swim with dolphins, meet sea turtles and lorikeets, paint with sea lions and more.
—Priscilla Blossom, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
Around 40 percent of rainbow lorikeets that present with a severe case of this unexplained paralysis won’t survive.
—Ayla Gard, Scientific American, 13 June 2023
For now, the priority is figuring out everything the sick lorikeets are eating.
—Ayla Gard, Scientific American, 13 June 2023
In 2022 Wilson completed a proof-of-concept study with eight lorikeet samples.
—Ayla Gard, Scientific American, 13 June 2023
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.
Scott Travers, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
Hunted heavily across Polynesia for their dazzling feathers, the lorikeets were extirpated from nearly all of their native islands by 1900, with Rimatara standing as one final bastion for the birds.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
This popular roadside attraction in Picacho, Arizona, about halfway between Phoenix and Tucson, has exotic animals on display, including ostriches, miniature donkeys, deer, lorikeets and more.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 2 Aug. 2024
The cowering and other expressions of anxiety seen in dogs were also observed in baboons, gorillas, giraffes, and flamingos, as well as in parrots and other species of lorikeets.
—TIME, 25 Mar. 2024
Swim with dolphins, meet sea turtles and lorikeets, paint with sea lions and more.
—Priscilla Blossom, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
Around 40 percent of rainbow lorikeets that present with a severe case of this unexplained paralysis won’t survive.
—Ayla Gard, Scientific American, 13 June 2023
For now, the priority is figuring out everything the sick lorikeets are eating.
—Ayla Gard, Scientific American, 13 June 2023
In 2022 Wilson completed a proof-of-concept study with eight lorikeet samples.
—Ayla Gard, Scientific American, 13 June 2023
Cite this Entry
“Lorikeet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lorikeet. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share