# parrot

/ˈpɛɹət/ (US) · /pˈæɹət/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/parrot
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. the bird

noun · CEFR A2

a tropical bird with bright feathers and a curved beak that can learn to copy human sounds.

For teachers: a bird of the order Psittaciformes, typically characterized by colourful plumage, a hooked bill, and the ability to mimic speech.

- The parrot in the pet shop could say 'hello' to every customer.
- In the rainforest canopy, the bright green parrot blended perfectly with the foliage, making it difficult for predators to spot.

### 2. a person who repeats others

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

someone who repeats what other people say without really understanding it.

For teachers: a person who repeats the words or ideas of others mechanically and without original thought.

- Don't be a parrot; tell me what you actually think about the plan.
- The critic dismissed the young politician as a mere parrot of the party's senior leadership, lacking any distinct policy vision.

### 3. aviation equipment

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Slang

a piece of equipment in a plane that sends out a signal to identify itself.

For teachers: a transponder used in aircraft to receive and transmit radio signals for identification.

- The pilot checked the parrot to ensure the radar could see them.
- Air traffic control requested the pilot to cycle the parrot after the identification signal became intermittent on the display.

### 4. to repeat without thinking

verb · CEFR B2

to repeat exactly what someone else said without thinking about the meaning.

For teachers: to repeat words or ideas mechanically or without full comprehension of the content. Transitive, taking a direct object.

- The students just parroted the teacher's words instead of using their own.
- It is common for young children to parrot the phrases they hear their parents use, often in entirely inappropriate contexts.

## Examples

- The colorful parrot repeated every word I said.
- While hiking through the rainforest, we spotted a wild parrot perched high in the canopy.
- Ethologists have observed that certain parrot species demonstrate advanced cognitive abilities, including problem-solving skills and the capacity to use tools to extract seeds from hard shells.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.