toucan

Where does the word "toucan" come from? It comes from Tupi tukana, passing through Portuguese before entering English (1600s).

Toucan’s story begins in Tupi: tukana meant “toucan.” The Tupi name for the large-billed bird. By 1500s-1600s, the word had taken hold in Portuguese as tucano. Tupi 'tukana', imitating the bird's call. It reached English by 1600s as toucan. Adapted via French from Portuguese. Today, toucan means a brightly colored tropical bird with a very large bill.

1. Stage 1 · Tupi · pre-1500s tukana "toucan", the Tupi name for the large-billed bird.
2. Stage 2 · Portuguese · 1500s-1600s tucano "toucan", Tupi 'tukana', imitating the bird's call.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1600s toucan "the large-billed tropical bird", adapted via French from Portuguese.