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Glite Dictionary
African gray

African gray

1 5.2
A medium-sized grey parrot from Africa that is very intelligent and copies human speech
  • noun
  • /ˈæfrɪkən ɡreɪ/
  • US
translation icon : gris africano
  • An African gray can learn over a thousand words and has a strong bond with its owner.

Examples

  • Many bird enthusiasts keep an African gray as a companion animal because of its intelligence.

  • The African gray is prized for its remarkable ability to mimic human speech.

  • Veterinarians recommend a balanced diet for an African gray to ensure its long life.

  • The African gray is known for its impressive intelligence.

  • Many people love their African greys for their ability to talk.

  • The African gray parrot is known for its impressive ability to mimic human speech.

  • In many households, the African gray parrot is cherished for its intelligence and friendly demeanor.

Synonyms

Psittacus erithacus
vsAfrican gray
  • Specialized
9.3

A large grey African parrot that is very intelligent and can copy human speech

has identical meaning but is the common name used in everyday speech

Surface Forms

African gray singular
African grays plural
African greys plural
African grey singular

Morphology

African + gray

The components 'African' and 'gray' transparently signal a grey thing from Africa, so a B1 learner would infer the geographic origin and color. However, the specific, lexicalized meaning as a particular parrot species (often short for 'African grey parrot') is not fully predictable from the adjectives alone, so the expression is only partially transparent.

Etymology

African gray is a name that comes from the bird's home and color. The word African shows it comes from Africa and gray describes its grey feathers, and the name now means a smart parrot that can 'copy' human speech.