Melopsittacus undulatus
- noun
- /ˌmɛloʊˈsɪtəkəs ˌʌnˈdʒuːlətəs/
- Specialized
:
periquito
- Veterinarians often refer to the budgerigar by its scientific name, Melopsittacus undulatus.
Examples
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Breeders of Melopsittacus undulatus have created a stunning array of feather colors over the years.
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The Melopsittacus undulatus is native to Australia but can now be found as a pet worldwide.
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The Melopsittacus undulatus is a popular pet bird.
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Have you ever seen a Melopsittacus undulatus in the wild?
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Many people choose to keep a Melopsittacus undulatus because of its friendly personality.
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The bright colors of the Melopsittacus undulatus make it a favorite among pet owners.
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In Australia, the Melopsittacus undulatus can be found flying freely in flocks.
Synonyms
3
3.8
A small parrot from Australia often kept as a pet
1
8.1
A small green parakeet from Australia often kept as a pet
A small Australian parrot often green with black and yellow markings
A small Australian parrot often bright green with black and yellow spots that people keep as a colorful pet
A small Australian parrot often green in the wild and kept as a colorful pet
A small parakeet from Australia often green and yellow that people keep as a pet
Surface Forms
Morphology
Melopsittacus + undulatus
This is a Latin binomial used as a taxonomic label rather than a compositional English phrase; knowing the glosses of the parts (a parrot genus and an obscure Latin epithet) does not allow a B1 learner to infer the common-name meaning 'budgerigar/parakeet'. The second element's meaning is missing and even if its Latin sense were known, scientific names function as arbitrary labels, so the overall meaning is unpredictable for learners.
Etymology
Melopsittacus undulatus comes from old words: melos meaning 'song', psittacus meaning 'parrot' and undulatus meaning 'wavy'. This creates the image of a small, singing parrot with wavy feather lines, so the name points to the budgerigar, the bright little pet parrot.