any of several African weaverbirds of the genus Quelea, esp. Q. quelea (red-billed quelea), noted for its vast flocks that destroy grain crops
Word origin
[1925–30; ‹ NL: genus name (1850; earlier as a species name), perh. alter. of ML qualea quail]This word is first recorded in the period 1925–30. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: dropout, gimmick, hot spot, off-line, turnaround