Toucan
/ˈtuːkæn/noun
A tropical American bird known for its large, colorful bill.
Did you know?English ultimately borrowed “toucan” from Tupi, an Indigenous language of coastal Brazil, through Portuguese and French explorers’ descriptions of the bird.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-16th Century
Tupi
tukana
“Name for the toucan, an Indigenous bird of tropical South America”
16th Century
Portuguese
tucano
“Toucan; borrowed from Tupi during Portuguese exploration of Brazil”
16th–17th Century
French
toucan
“Toucan; adopted from Portuguese”
17th Century
English
toucan
“A tropical American bird with a large, brightly colored bill”