chachalaca

Where does the word "chachalaca" come from? It comes from Nahuatl chachalacani, passing through Spanish before entering English (1810s).

Chachalaca’s story begins in Nahuatl: chachalacani meant “a chatterer, gossiper.” An onomatopoeic word meaning 'to chatter', describing the bird's loud repeated call. By 1600s, the word had taken hold in Spanish as chachalaca. An imitation of the bird's loud call. It reached English by 1810s as chachalaca. Borrowed into English ornithological terminology. Today, chachalaca means a loud, chicken-sized tropical bird known for its raucous, repetitive call.

1. Stage 1 · Nahuatl · pre-1500s chachalacani "a chatterer, gossiper", an onomatopoeic word meaning 'to chatter', describing the bird's loud repeated call.
2. Stage 2 · Spanish · 1600s chachalaca "a loud, chattering game bird", an imitation of the bird's loud call.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1810s chachalaca "a loud, chicken-sized bird found from Texas to South America", borrowed into English ornithological terminology.