Toucanets

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Small tropical birds related to toucans characterized by bright plumage and a smaller beak relative to their larger relatives ; members of a family known for their colorful feathers and distinctive, curved bills ; diminutive relatives of toucans found in forested areas, notable for vivid colors and shorter, stout beaks
2. A group of forest-dwelling birds similar to toucans but smaller in size with striking coloration and strong, curved bills ; small avian species recognized for their vibrant appearance and membership in the toucan family ; birds closely allied to toucans distinguished by their compact size and bright feathers in tropical habitats
3. Tiny neotropical birds resembling toucans with proportionally smaller bills and vivid plumage ; members of a bird genus known for bright colors and stout, arched bills in dense woodlands ; smaller cousins of toucans inhabiting tropical regions, noted for their colorful feathers and distinctive beak shapes

Etymology: The name starts with the toucan, which came into European languages from Portuguese "tucano," itself borrowed from Tupi, the language of indigenous peoples of the Brazilian coast. Portuguese speakers encountered the big-billed birds there and adopted the local name, which English then took from Portuguese. Toucanet adds the French diminutive suffix "-et" to that base, so it literally means "little toucan." The suffix is the same one found in words like "islet" and "cygnet," and it marks a smaller version of the thing named. The term is informal rather than a single scientific group, and it is applied to several small members of the toucan family, such as the aulacorhynchus toucanets of the Andes and Central America, whose bills are large relative to their bodies even though the birds are compact.

Synonyms: small toucans