rosella

noun

ro·​sel·​la
rōˈzelə
plural -s
1
: an Australian parakeet (Platycercus eximius) often kept as a cage bird having the head and back of the neck scarlet and the cheeks white, the back dark green varied with lighter green, and the breast red and yellow
broadly : any parakeet of the genus Platycercus
2
Australia : a sheep that has shed a portion of its wool

Word History

Etymology

irregular from Rosehill, district near Sydney, southeast Australia

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rosella was in 1829

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Dictionary Entries Near rosella

Cite this Entry

“Rosella.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rosella. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

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