Illustration of cockatoo
cockatoo
noun
cock·a·too
ˈkä-kə-ˌtü 
plural cockatoos
: any of various large noisy chiefly Australasian crested parrots (family Cacatuidae and especially genus Cacatua)
Examples of cockatoo in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Annette Cam, president of the Blue Mountains Conservation Society, said low-lying plants are a major feeding source of the cockatoos, but the birds avoid those areas when there are too many people.
—
Trista Kurniawan, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
Black cockatoos sweeping across the sky.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
In a video shared on Instagram, Robert introduced a koala, a snake, and the cockatoo — who tried to bite one of the letters off — to his trophy.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
There are eight rooms lined with small cages containing chicks — African greys, macaws, and cockatoos.
—Rene Ebersole, Rolling Stone, 18 Nov. 2025
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Trista Kurniawan, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
Black cockatoos sweeping across the sky.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
In a video shared on Instagram, Robert introduced a koala, a snake, and the cockatoo — who tried to bite one of the letters off — to his trophy.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
There are eight rooms lined with small cages containing chicks — African greys, macaws, and cockatoos.
—Rene Ebersole, Rolling Stone, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cockatoo
Cite this Entry
“Cockatoo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cockatoo. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cockatoo
noun
cock·a·too
ˈkäk-ə-ˌtü
plural cockatoos
: any of various large noisy usually showy chiefly Australasian parrots that have a bunch of feathers on the head
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