touraco: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low (Scientific/Lexical)Technical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “touraco” mean?
A brightly coloured, fruit-eating bird native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A brightly coloured, fruit-eating bird native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Any bird of the family Musophagidae, known for distinctive crests and unique pigments (turacin and turacoverdin) in their feathers. A specialised ornithological term.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No regional difference in meaning or usage. The spelling is consistent. The alternative spelling 'turaco' is equally common in both varieties.
Connotations
None beyond its technical, scientific reference.
Frequency
Equally rare and specialised in both UK and US English, used only in zoological/ornithological contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “touraco” in a Sentence
The [ADJECTIVE] touraco [VERB]A touraco is a type of [NOUN]Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in biology, zoology, and ornithology papers, field guides, and taxonomy.
Everyday
Virtually never used. A 'fun fact' or specialist interest word.
Technical
The primary domain of use. Precise term for a taxonomic family.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “touraco”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “touraco”
- Mispronouncing it as /taʊˈreɪkoʊ/ (like 'tour').
- Misspelling as 'touroco', 'touraca', or 'toraco'.
- Assuming it is a common noun like 'parrot' or 'pigeon'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a very low-frequency, technical term used almost exclusively in ornithology and related fields.
In British English: /ˈtʊərəkəʊ/. In American English: /ˈtʊrəkoʊ/. The first syllable rhymes with 'book' or 'tour' without the /ʊə/ glide in US speech.
They contain unique, copper-based pigments called turacin (red) and turacoverdin (green), which are rare in the animal kingdom.
There is no difference. 'Turaco' is simply an alternative spelling of the same word; both are correct and used interchangeably.
A brightly coloured, fruit-eating bird native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Touraco is usually technical/scientific in register.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'TOUR Africa to see a colourful CO-bird' (touraco).
Conceptual Metaphor
A touraco can be a METAPHOR FOR VIBRANT RARITY or EXOTIC BEAUTY in niche poetic contexts, but this is extremely uncommon.
Practice
Quiz
What is a touraco?