toucan
/tu.kɑ̃/masculine
The English word toucan is translated into French as toucan.
The term refers to the Ramphastid bird.
Meaning: Ramphastid (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The word is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
It has two syllables and is pronounced /tu.kɑ̃/.
Did you know?
- The French word toucan is borrowed from tukana in Old Tupi, an indigenous language of Brazil.
- The pronunciation of the final syllable in toucan (/kɑ̃/) creates a nasal sound that does not exist in the English pronunciation.
- In French culture, the toucan is frequently associated with the 'exoticism' of the Amazon, often appearing in 19th-century colonial literature to represent the wild.
Examples in context
- Le toucan est un oiseau exotique que l'on trouve principalement en Amérique du Sud.The toucan is an exotic bird mainly found in South America.
- Le zoo de Paris abrite un magnifique toucan aux couleurs vives.The Paris Zoo houses a magnificent brightly colored toucan.
- un toucanA toucan
- Le toucan est très coloré.The toucan is very colorful.
- J'ai vu un toucan au zoo.I saw a toucan at the zoo.
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are looking at a nature documentary on TV.
- ChloéRegarde ce magnifique toucan !Look at that magnificent toucan!
- GabrielOui, son bec est énorme.Yes, its beak is huge.
- ChloéIl ressemble à un dessin animé.It looks like a cartoon.
- GabrielC'est vrai, il est impressionnant.It's true, it is impressive.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “toucan” translations and entries toucan, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries toucan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
