parrot

American  

[par-uht] / ˈpær ət /

noun

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

• parrotlike
  adjective
• parroty
  adjective
• parrotry
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has parroted
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have parroted
  perfect
• are parroting
  progressive
• parroting
  participle
• have been parroting
  perfect progressive
• am parroting
  progressive 1st person singular
• is parroting
  progressive 3rd person singular
• parrots
  singular 3rd person
• has been parroting
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular

Past

• had parroted
  perfect
• had been parroting
  perfect progressive
• were parroting
  progressive plural
• was parroting
  progressive singular
• parroted
  simple
• parroted
  participle

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

Sazerac, whose brands include Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, Buffalo Trace bourbon and Parrot Bay rum, initially connected with 818 when the brand did a collaboration with its Traveller Whiskey, created by country singer Chris Stapleton.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

That cautious approach, Parrot says, is rooted in the club's role as the standard-bearer for a former mining heartland.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Hugely popular, Turkish television dramas and series are now available in 170 countries, with global demand for them rising by 184 percent between 2020 and 2023, figures from Parrot Analytics show.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

Self-proclaimed Parrot Heads—who still slap stickers on the building and leave flip-flops, salt shakers and other assorted memorabilia outside as a shrine to sunny good times—want instead to memorialize the studio forever.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026

Beatrice’s mother was not an impatient woman, but she had eventually divorced Leon to pursue her own career as a cockatoo trainer at Parrot Jungle, a tourist attraction in Miami.

From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen

Related Words

• recite