Meaning

noun usually brightly colored zygodactyl tropical birds with short hooked beaks and the ability to mimic sounds

noun a copycat who does not understand the words or acts being imitated

verb repeat mindlessly

originFirst attested in 1525. From Middle French perrot, either a diminutive of Pierre or a shortened form of perroquet (whence also parakeet). Compare French pierrot and Occitan parrat. A number of origins have been suggested for perroquet, such as Spanish periquito and Italian parrocchetto. The relationship between these various words is disputed. Replaced earlier popinjay.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0