Parrot \Par"rot\ (p[a^]r"r[u^]t), n. [Prob. fr. F. Pierrot, dim.
of Pierre Peter. F. pierrot is also the name of the sparrow.
Cf. Paroquet, Petrel, Petrify.]
1. (Zool.) In a general sense, any bird of the order
Psittaci.
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2. (Zool.) Any species of Psittacus, Chrysotis, Pionus,
and other genera of the family Psittacid[ae], as
distinguished from the parrakeets, macaws, and lories.
They have a short rounded or even tail, and often a naked
space on the cheeks. The gray parrot, or jako (Psittacus
erithacus) of Africa (see Jako), and the species of
Amazon, or green, parrots (Chrysotis) of America, are
examples. Many species, as cage birds, readily learn to
imitate sounds, and to repeat words and phrases.
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Carolina parrot (Zool.), the Carolina parrakeet. See
Parrakeet.
Night parrot, or Owl parrot. (Zool.) See Kakapo.
Parrot coal, cannel coal; -- so called from the crackling
and chattering sound it makes in burning. [Eng. & Scot.]
Parrot green. (Chem.) See Scheele's green, under Green,
n.
Parrot weed (Bot.), a suffrutescent plant (Bocconia
frutescens) of the Poppy family, native of the warmer
parts of America. It has very large, sinuate, pinnatifid
leaves, and small, panicled, apetalous flowers.
Parrot wrasse, Parrot fish (Zool.), any fish of the genus
Scarus. One species (Scarus Cretensis), found in the
Mediterranean, is esteemed by epicures, and was highly
prized by the ancient Greeks and Romans.
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