Kaka
/ˈkɑːkɑː/noun
A New Zealand forest parrot, especially the North Island or South Island kaka.
Did you know?English borrowed Kaka from Māori, where kākā names the native parrot Nestor meridionalis; the macron marks a long vowel, so it is properly written kākā.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-European New Zealand
Māori
kākā
“Name for a native forest parrot”
18th Century
Māori
kākā
“The bird known for its harsh, distinctive calls”
19th Century
English
kaka
“A New Zealand parrot, adopted as a natural-history term”
19th–20th Century
Scientific English
Nestor meridionalis
“The species’ zoological name”
Modern English
English
kaka
“A New Zealand parrot”