toucan

English

WOTD – 23 June 2007
A toucan

Etymology

From French toucan or Portuguese/Spanish tucán, from Tupian tuka, tukan, tukana, which probably originated as an imitation of its cry.

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈtuːkən/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈtuːˌkæn/
  • (file)
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -uːkən

Noun

toucan (plural toucans)

  1. Any of various neotropical frugivorous birds from the family Ramphastidae, with a large colorful beak.
    • 1924Herman Melville, Billy Budd, ch 2
      The ear, small and shapely, the arch of the foot, the curve in mouth and nostril, even the indurated hand dyed to the orange-tawny of the toucan's bill, a hand telling alike of the halyards and tar-bucket;

Derived terms

Translations

See also

Anagrams


French

Etymology

From Tupian, tuka, tukan, tukana, which probably originated as an imitation of its cry.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /tu.kɑ̃/

Noun

toucan m (plural toucans)

  1. toucan

Further reading

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