parrot

American  

[par-uht] / ˈpær ət /

noun

parrots plural

1. any of numerous hook-billed, often brilliantly colored birds of the order Psittaciformes, as the cockatoo, lory, macaw, or parakeet, having the ability to mimic speech and often kept as pets.

2. a person who, without thought or understanding, merely repeats the words or imitates the actions of another.

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verb (used with object)

parrots, present (3rd person singular) parroted, past participle, past parroting present participle

1. to repeat or imitate without thought or understanding.

2. to teach to repeat or imitate in such a fashion.

parrot British  

/ ˈpærət /

noun

1. any bird of the tropical and subtropical order Psittaciformes, having a short hooked bill, compact body, bright plumage, and an ability to mimic sounds

2. a person who repeats or imitates the words or actions of another unintelligently

3. facetious extremely disappointed

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verb

1. (tr) to repeat or imitate mechanically without understanding

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• parrotry
  noun
• parrotlike
  adjective
• parroty
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• parrots
  plural

Participles

• parroting
  present
• parroted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• parrot
  simple
• parrots
  simple
• have parroted
  perfect
• has parroted
  perfect
• am parroting
  progressive
• are parroting
  progressive
• is parroting
  progressive
• have been parroting
  perfect progressive
• has been parroting
  perfect progressive

Past

• parroted
  simple
• had parroted
  perfect
• was parroting
  progressive
• were parroting
  progressive
• had been parroting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will parrot
  simple
• will have parroted
  perfect
• will be parroting
  progressive
• will have been parroting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of parrot

1515–25; apparently < Middle French P ( i ) errot, diminutive of Pierre ( see parakeet), though a comparable sense of the French word is not known until the 18th century

Explanation

A parrot is a brightly colored tropical bird with a distinctly loud voice. If you see someone calling a colorful bird "Polly" and asking it if it wants a cracker, that's a parrot. Parrots are popular pets because many of them have the ability to mimic sounds they hear, sometimes including human speech. In fact, this skill has led to a secondary meaning of the word parrot, "mimic mindlessly." You could say, for example, "I'm not going to just parrot everything the teacher says — I'm no parrot." The origin of the word is uncertain, although we know that before parrot, this bird was called a popinjay.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

parrot parrots parroted parroting

Some get on the bandwagon, happy to parrot whatever they’re told will preserve their careers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

One of the most exciting discoveries is a newly identified parrot species called Strigops insulaborealis.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 23, 2026

The bird - a type of parrot called a parakeet - has been seen flying around the Lochardil area of the city since February this year.

From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026

How Bruce the beakless parrot became an alpha male.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 21, 2026

He was dressed like a pirate, with an eye patch and a fake stuffed parrot elasticked to his arm.

From Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff

Thankfully, Jimmy knew of a nest being built on the outskirts of Bishop Auckland which would happily take in the giggle of galahs, alongside its impending parliament of owls and pandemonium of parrots.

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026

It is also one of the heaviest parrots and is known for its unusual nighttime lifestyle.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 23, 2026

NatureScot said it was not known why parrots, and other birds, eat or dismantle windscreen wipers.

From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026

Certain parrots have more neurons than many monkeys.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

It was completely covered in painted parrots on the outside, and only one among them was gold.

From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova

The expenses that Pentagon officials cited in congressional testimony and that then were parroted in media coverage are much lower than the costs the U.S. public will be forced to pay.

From MarketWatch ● May 28, 2026

Between songs, the camera cut to Jackson, who took on the voice of white America and parroted things that close-minded critics might say about the first solo rap artist to perform at the Super Bowl.

From Salon ● Feb. 10, 2025

One day a fourth grader appeared in front of her with a book about gay civil rights leader Harvey Milk and parroted the line, “This book is an abomination.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 17, 2024

She said some newer trustees have parroted this language.

From Washington Times ● Jun. 2, 2023

They parroted “Space Boy” and invented semicreative variations of their own.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson

Pochettino has been parroting “Miracle,” the movie about the 1980 Olympics, and coach Herb Brooks’s message about needing the right players, not necessarily the best ones.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, addressed the crowds where he criticised politicians for "parroting" his ideas.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2025

Doncic seemed stunned when Finley grabbed the can, refraining from parroting the description of the only official NBA-approved beer that Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy Norris character told a bartender in “Landman.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2025

A rallying cry soon came from @ladyfromtheoutside, a TikTok creator who found inspiration in Ms. Kalil’s parroting of Marie Antoinette.

From New York Times ● May 17, 2024

From that day I stopped parroting the words of Oh, God!

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Related Words

• recite