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Glite Dictionary
rainbow lorikeet

rainbow lorikeet

7.0
A bright, colorful parrot from Australia that often feeds on nectar
  • noun
  • /ˈreɪnboʊ ˈlɔrəˌkit/
  • Australian
translation icon : lorito arcoíris
  • A flock of rainbow lorikeets fluttered into a nearby tree.

Examples

  • At the zoo, we saw a group of rainbow lorikeets feeding on nectar from flowers.

  • The bright colors of the rainbow lorikeet make it one of the most beautiful birds in Australia.

  • During our visit to Australia, we watched a rainbow lorikeet playfully interact with its mate.

Synonyms

lorikeet
vsrainbow lorikeet
  • Australian
1 8.8

A small brightly colored parrot from Australia that eats nectar and soft fruit

is the specific Australian species known for vivid plumage and playful behavior
Trichoglossus moluccanus
vsrainbow lorikeet
  • Specialized
9.9

A colorful parrot from Australia often called the rainbow lorikeet

is the common description focusing on plumage and playful behavior

Surface Forms

rainbow lorikeet singular
rainbow lorikeets plural

Morphology

rainbow + lorikeet

The meaning 'a brightly colored species of parrot' is directly inferable from combining 'rainbow' (multicolored) with 'lorikeet' (a type of parrot); the modifier plainly describes the bird's colorful plumage. This noun+noun compounding is a productive, cross-linguistic pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

Rainbow lorikeet: The name rainbow lorikeet comes from the bird's bright, rainbow-like feathers and the word lorikeet, which refers to a 'small parrot' that often eats nectar from flowers. So, the name simply describes a 'small parrot with bright, rainbow colors'.