parrot
UK[ˈpærət]US[ˈperət]
n
A tropical bird with a strong curved beak and often brightly colored feathers, some of which can be taught to copy human speech.
v
To repeat or imitate someone's words or actions without thinking about or understanding them.
Etymology
The word 'parrot' has a charmingly indirect origin. It comes from the Middle French 'perrot', a diminutive or pet form of the name 'Pierre', meaning 'little Peter'. This naming practice, applying human names to familiar birds, was common. The word passed into English in the early 16th century, where its spelling stabilized as 'parrot'. The verb sense, meaning to mindlessly repeat, developed in the late 16th century, directly from the bird's famous mimetic ability, completing the journey from a personal name to a label for an animal and finally to a metaphor for unthinking imitation.
Analysis
The word 'parrot' is a simplex word. It entered English as a loanword from French, where it was 'perrot', a diminutive form of the name 'Pierre' (Peter). Its ultimate origin is uncertain but is not productively composed of separable morphemes in modern English.
Examples
The scarlet macaw is a large and brilliantly colored parrot native to South American rainforests.
He just parrots the opinions he hears on television without forming his own views.
The pirate was often depicted with a parrot perched on his shoulder.