cockatoo English · revision 1587

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|nl|kaketoe]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|ms|kakatua]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) perhaps imitative of the bird's call^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) or from ''kakak'' “elder sibling” and ''tua'' “old”.^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) The English spelling was influenced by [[cock]].^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A parrot of the genus ''Cacatua'' of Australia and the East Indies (1616).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Australia and New Zealand the bird's name was applied colloquially to a small farmer (1864)^(OED 1989)^(RHWU) and to a lookout posted by people engaged in illegal activity, such as gambling (1827).^(OED 1989)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1616 – the crested parrot, as ''cacatoe''.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1634 – first date given by Merriam-Webster.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1827 – Australian slang, a lookout.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1863 – ''cockatiel''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1864 – Australian, a small farmer.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A large, noisy, crested [[parrot]] of [[Australia]] and nearby regions.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Australian)'' A small farmer.^(RHWU)^(OED 1989)

+ # ''(Australian slang)'' A lookout posted by people doing something illegal.^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cockatiel]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}