Pandemonium
noun /ˌpændɪˈməʊnɪəm/ — A group of parrots — onomatopoeia in collective noun form.
Definition
The collective noun for a group of parrots — named after the uproar they collectively produce. Also: a word for wild and noisy disorder (from John Milton's Paradise Lost) that has come full circle to describe these birds.
Beyond the definition
Anyone who has encountered a large group of parrots understands this choice immediately. Pandemonium is not merely loud — it is enthusiastic, overlapping, impossible to ignore. The birds named the word before the word named the birds.
Origin & history
From John Milton's Paradise Lost (1667) — 'Pandæmonium,' the capital of Hell, home of all the demons. 'Pan-' (all) + 'daimon' (demon/spirit). Applied to parrots: a small literary joke that stuck.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
A pandemonium of parrots descended on the fruit tree at dawn.
The market erupted into pandemonium — or would have, if she'd brought the parrot.
The collective noun 'pandemonium' for parrots is Milton's best joke.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Pandemonium” when the meaning fits your context: The collective noun for a group of parrots — named after the uproar they collectively produce. Also: a word for wild and noisy disorder (from John Milton's Paradise Lost) that has come full circle to describe these birds.
Synonyms
flock (of parrots), company
Related words
Questions about this word
What does "Pandemonium" mean?
Pandemonium is noun meaning: A group of parrots — onomatopoeia in collective noun form.. The collective noun for a group of parrots — named after the uproar they collectively produce. Also: a word for wild and noisy disorder (from John Milton's Paradise Lost) that has come full circle to describe these birds.
Where does the word "Pandemonium" come from?
From John Milton's Paradise Lost (1667) — 'Pandæmonium,' the capital of Hell, home of all the demons. 'Pan-' (all) + 'daimon' (demon/spirit). Applied to parrots: a small literary joke that stuck.