Cyanopsitta
sigh-an-oh-PSIT-uh
Genus
the blue parrot
Literally: blue parrot
| Part | Meaning | Language | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| cyan- | dark blue | Greek (cyan, -e, -i, -o) | stem cyano-, connecting vowel -o- follows |
| -o- | connecting vowel | standard Greek combining vowel linking cyan- to psitt- | |
| -psitt- | a parrot | Greek (psitt, -ac, =acus) | stem psittac-; the -ac- is dropped before the feminine noun ending -a, giving psitt-a |
| -a | feminine singular nominative ending | Greek / Latin (=a) | treats the word as a feminine noun in the Latin first declension, as required for genus names |
Cyanopsitta is a compound genus name formed from the Greek combining form cyano- (dark blue) joined by the connecting vowel -o- to the Greek stem psitt- (parrot), with the feminine nominative ending -a. The whole word functions as a single feminine noun in apposition, naming the genus by the bird's vivid blue coloration. The 'sitta' overlap (nuthatch, positions 6–11) is a coincidental letter sequence; the intended root is psittac- (parrot), which fits both the etymology and the zoological identity of the taxon (Spix's Macaw).
Pronunciation
- sigh-an-oh-PSIT-uh Penult rule 5: the penult vowel 'i' is short but is followed by two consonants (tt), so the penult is stressed. The -ps- cluster is in the interior of the word, so both p and s are fully pronounced.
Other readings
cyan-o-sitta: 'blue nuthatch' — rejected because the bird is a parrot, not a nuthatch, and psitt- (parrot) is the better-attested root beginning at the same position.
The full genus name honours Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii), considered functionally extinct in the wild; cyan- captures its brilliant blue plumage. The dictionary entry psitt, -ac, =acus confirms the parrot root; the -ac- syllable is simply elided when the feminine -a ending is attached directly. The 'sitta' (nuthatch) overlap at positions 6–11 is a false friend created by the letter sequence; it plays no role in this name.