cockatoo

noun

cock·​a·​too ˈkä-kə-ˌtü 

plural cockatoos

: any of various large noisy chiefly Australasian crested parrots (family Cacatuidae and especially genus Cacatua)

Illustration of cockatoo

Examples of cockatoo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Curious cockatoos often come to breakfast, turtles swim by the private beach, and whales make their winter migration through the Dent Passage, directly in front of Long Pavilion. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026

In reality, Alamo has set the meeting up as a way to get his fixer Bishop (Darrell Britt-Gibson) inside to poison Laurie's favorite among her birds, a white cockatoo named Paladin. —Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026

Bayern's players lined up wearing cockatoo T-shirts in front of the fans, but there were none of the traditional beer showers that usually accompany league wins. —ABC News, 19 Apr. 2026

For instance, the cockatoos in Sydney have learned to open trash bins. —Daniel T. Blumstein, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Dutch kaketoe, from Malay kakatua

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cockatoo

• amadou
• avenue
• ballyhoo
• baraboo
• barbecue
• barbeque
• bugaboo
• cabildo
• caribou
• detinue
• devalue
• donohue

Kids Definition

cockatoo

noun

cock·​a·​too ˈkäk-ə-ˌtü 

plural cockatoos

: any of various large noisy usually showy chiefly Australasian parrots that have a bunch of feathers on the head