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Definition of budgerigar

budgerigar

/ˈbʌdʒ.ɚ.ɪˌɡɑːr/
bud · ger · i · gar
Plural:budgerigars
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budgerigar Lexical Profile

budgerigar Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A small, gregarious Australian parakeet that typically has green and yellow plumage in the wild, widely kept globally as a popular cage bird in a variety of bred colors.

Example

"We bought a young blue budgerigar from the local breeder and quickly taught it how to mimic a few words."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for budgerigar

Word Nuance & Usage

While known formally as a budgerigar globally, the bird is most commonly referred to by the diminutive 'budgie' in British and Australian English, and broadly as a 'parakeet' in American English.

• Nearby Words

budding
buddy
budge
budgerigar
budget
budgetary
budgeter

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed into English in the mid-19th century from the Kamilaroi (an Australian Aboriginal language) word 'gijirrigaa', referring specifically to this small native parrot.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Budgerigar. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/budgerigar
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