The Spanish word 'papagayo' (meaning 'parrot') has an interesting journey through several languages. It originated from the Arabic word 'babġaˀ', also meaning 'parrot'. This word made its way into Occitan (a Romance language historically spoken in southern France) as 'papagai'. From Occitan, it entered Portuguese as 'papagaio', and finally arrived in Spanish as 'papagayo'. The transformation from the Arabic 'b' sounds to 'p' sounds is a common phonetic change when Arabic words enter Romance languages.

While 'papagayo' is a relatively distinct word in Spanish, you might encounter the shorter, more modern word 'perico' which is also used to mean 'parrot' in many Spanish-speaking regions. However, these words have different etymological origins.

The English word 'popinjay' (meaning a vain or conceited person, especially one who dresses or behaves extravagantly) is actually related to 'papagayo'. It came from the same Arabic source through Old French and Middle English. The meaning shifted from literally referring to a parrot to metaphorically describing someone as showy or flamboyant as a parrot. You might also recognize similar words in other European languages, like the Italian 'pappagallo' or French 'papegai', all stemming from the same Arabic origin.