toucan

Etymology

From French toucan or Spanish tucán, from Tupian, which probably originated as an imitation of its cry.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈtuːkən/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈtuːˌkæn/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uːkən

Noun

toucan (plural toucans)

1. Any of various neotropical frugivorous birds from the family Ramphastidae, with a large colorful beak.
   • 1924 — Herman 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;

See also

• hornbill
• Tucana

Anagrams

• Tucano, co-aunt, uncoat

Etymology

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

Noun

toucan m (plural toucans)

1. toucan

Further reading

• “toucan” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).