Psittacism: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Psittacism noun. Repeating words or ideas mechanically, like a parrot, without thinking about what they mean.
How to say it
SIT-uh-siz-um/ˈsɪtəsɪz(ə)m/
4 syllables, stressed on the first (SIT).
Psittacism in a sentence
The quiz rewarded psittacism: pupils could recite the dates without knowing what happened.
Meetings full of 'synergy' and 'alignment' are corporate psittacism at its finest.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- parroting
- rote repetition
Where psittacism comes from
From Latin psittacus, parrot, from Greek psittakos.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
Meetings full of 'synergy' and 'alignment' are corporate _____ at its finest.
- psittacism
- cadence
- spoonerism
Show the answer
psittacism: Meetings full of 'synergy' and 'alignment' are corporate psittacism at its finest.