galah

English

Wikipedia

Etymology

From Gamilaraay gilaa.

• (fool): From the bird. A connection with Malay gila (“mad”) has been suggested, but this explanation has not gained acceptance.

Adult Eolophus roseicapilla

Noun

galah (plural galahs)

1. A pink and grey species of cockatoo, Eolophus roseicapilla, native to Australia.
   • 2005, David Lindenmayer, Mark A. Burgman, Practical Conservation Biology, page 175,

     The Galah has benefited from changes in the environment brought about by human activities (Rowley, 1990; Saunders and Ingram, 1995; Forshaw, 2002). The Galah′s diet is predominantly seeds, especially those from cereal crops and agricultural weeds.

2. (Australia, slang) A fool, an idiot.

   That galah nearly drove me off the road.

   • 1991, Patricia Shaw, River of the Sun, unnumbered page,

     ‘Don′t just stand there, you great galah, lend a hand here!’ Billy Kemp shoved Edmund towards the longboat. ‘Get it free. The lads are bringing up the casks.’

   • 1999, Bryce Courtenay, Solomon's Song, unnumbered page,

     ‘But, Sergeant, I reckon a man would look a proper galah falling about with an empty rifle, going click, click, click, “bang you′re dead” when he wasn′t doing rifle drill on parade, like when it′s not official, know what I mean?’ one of the infantrymen volunteers.

   • 2006, John Chalmers, The Professional Guest, page 13,

     ‘ […] Then you will strut around like a great galah tryin′ to impress the sheilas about what a fuckin′ big iron ore miner you are.’

Synonyms

• (fool): drongo

Derived terms

• galah session

Translations

cockatoo

• Finnish: ruusukakadu (fi)
• Greek: κακατούα (el) (kakatoýa)

• Russian: розовый какаду (ru) (rózovyj kakadú) m

fool — see fool

See also

• cockatiel
• cockatoo
• corella

---

Malay

Pronunciation

• IPA: /galah/
• Rhymes: -alah, -lah, -ah

Noun

galah

1. pole, stake