cockatiel

American  

[kok-uh-teel] / ˌkɒk əˈtil /

Or cockateel

noun

1. a small, crested, long-tailed Australian parrot, Nymphicus hollandicus, often kept as a pet.

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cockatiel British  

/ ˌkɒkəˈtiːl /

noun

1. a crested Australian parrot, Leptolophus hollandicus, having a greyish-brown and yellow plumage

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Etymology

Origin of cockatiel

1875–80; < Dutch kaketielje, < Portuguese cacatilha, equivalent to cacat ( ua ) cockatoo + -ilha < Latin -illa diminutive suffix

Compare meaning

How does cockatiel compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• cockatoo vs. cockatiel

Example Sentences

A trio of red, yellow and green parrots and cockatiels sit on wooden perches, oblivious to the piercing stare of a blue-eyed feline a few feet away.

From Los Angeles Times

She was only able to find one of her cats, and the family had no way to carry out their cockatiel, so she left behind extra food and water and hoped for the best.

From Los Angeles Times

“I would never ride such a magnificent creature. Would you ride one of your squawking cockatiels?”

From Literature

The pets they’re mourning aren’t only cats and dogs — turtles, cockatiels, parrots, lizards, horses, and rabbits have been brought up in sessions, too, she said.

From New York Times

Wade especially loved visiting PetSmart, where he had learned that if he gently tapped his small pointer finger against the breast of a cockatiel, the bird would climb right on.

From New York Times