A variant spelling or pronunciation of cockatiel, a small crested parrot native to Australia.
An alternate spelling of 'cockatiel,' which derives from Dutch 'kakatoe' (cockatoo) influenced by 'tiel' (a type of parrot). The word entered English through Dutch colonial trade in Indonesia.
The word 'cockatiel' itself already contains Dutch, Indonesian, and English influences from colonial trade routes—and then people spelled it different ways! 'Cockateel' shows how even modern words stay unstable as they travel between languages.
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