Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

cockatiel

/ˌkɒk.əˈtil/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 1.90 in modern English

Syllables: cock-atiel
IPA: /ˌkɒk.əˈtil/

17

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Nymphicus hollandicus, a small, rather atypical cockatoo with a distinctive pointed yellow crest, native to Australia. Avicultural forms come in many color mutations such as White Face Gray, White Face Pearl, Fallow, Pearl Pied, Cinnamon Pearl, and White Face Pied.

Example Sentences

"The smaller parrakeets, such as budgerigars, turquoisines, and love birds, delight In going in and out of the cocoa nuts, but I never saw a cockatiel enter one, nor do I see how they could do so without detriment to their long tails."

Etymology

From Dutch kaketielje, possibly a diminutive of kaketoe (“cockatoo”) or derived in Dutch from a diminutive of Portuguese cacatua (“cockatoo”) such as cacatilho or cacatelho. Attested in English since the mid nineteenth century.

Origin

Source language: Dutch

Word Breakdown

Root: kaketielje, cacatua

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˌkɒk.əˈtil/

Inflected Forms

cockatiels (plural) cockateel (alternative, obsolete)

Frequently Paired Words

Cacatuidae Nymphicanae parrot aviculture

Synonyms

quarrion weero cockateel cockatoo parrot nymphicus hollandicus

Rhymes With

feel real deal we'll green new deal mobile square deal steel appeal wheel meal reveal

Questions

How do you pronounce cockatiel?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˌkɒk.əˈtil/.
What does cockatiel mean?: Nymphicus hollandicus, a small, rather atypical cockatoo with a distinctive pointed yellow crest, native to Australia. Avicultural forms come in many color mutations such as White Face Gray, White Face Pearl, Fallow, Pearl Pied, Cinnamon Pearl, and White Face Pied.
Where does cockatiel come from?: It is traced to Dutch.

How to pronounce cockatiel

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “cockatiel”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌkɒk.əˈtil/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “cockatiel”.
Repeat and practice — Say “cockatiel” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.