parakeet

1621, from Sp. perquito; earlier Eng. form parroket (1581) is from M.Fr. paroquet, from O.Fr. paroquet (14c.), which is said by etymologists of Fr. to be from It. parrocchetto, lit. "little priest," from parroco "parish priest," from Church L. parochus (see parish), or parrucchetto, dim. of parrucca "peruke, periwig," in ref. to the head plumage. The Sp. form, meanwhile, is sometimes said to be a dim. of Perico, familiar form of Pedro "Peter," and the O.Fr. word is likewise perhaps from or infl. by a dim. of Pierre "Peter." The relations of the Sp. and It. forms, and the influence of folk etymology on either or both, are uncertain.