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cockatoo

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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A cockatoo (1).

Etymology

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From Dutch kaketoe, borrowed from Malay kakaktua, kakatua. Spelling influenced by cock.

 cockatoo on Wikipedia

Pronunciation

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Noun

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cockatoo (plural cockatoos)

  1. A bird of the family Cacatuidae with a curved beak and a zygodactyl foot. [from 1610s]
    We saw some cockatoos in the aviary.
  2. (slang, obsolete) A lookout posted during a two-up game, when gambling was illegal.

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • Irish: cocatú
  • Maori: kokatu, koketu

Translations

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See also

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Further reading

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