marabou

American  

[mar-uh-boo] / ˈmær əˌbu /

noun

1. any of three large storks of the genus Leptoptilus, of Africa or the East Indies, having soft, downy feathers under the wings and tail that are used for making a furlike trimming for women's hats and garments.

2. one of the feathers.

3. the trimming or material made of the feathers.

4. thrown silk that can be dyed without being scoured.

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marabou British  

/ ˈmærəˌbuː /

noun

1. a large black-and-white African carrion-eating stork, Leptoptilos crumeniferus, with a very short naked neck and a straight heavy bill See also adjutant bird

2. a down feather of this bird, used to trim garments

3. 1. a fine white raw silk

   2. fabric made of this

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Etymology

Origin of marabou

1815–25; < French marabout literally, marabout

Example Sentences

Marabou is popular in Sweden, and Freia is Norwegian.

From Reuters • Jun. 16, 2023

The global snack maker, producer of Oreo, Toblerone and dozens of other brands, has a strong presence in Norway and Sweden via its local chocolate manufacturers Freia and Marabou.

From Reuters • Jun. 12, 2023

Others loved it, with many fans placing it alongside Marabou Stork Nightmares in the "nearly as good as " file; one reviewer even compared it to Moby-Dick, calling it "close to magnificent".

From The Guardian • Jul. 13, 2012

Marabou feathers undulated lazily from the hemline and sleeves of a long, lean gown in black silk that glinted with sequins.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 7, 2011

A number of Marabou storks had also arrived, and were standing proudly among the crowd of vultures, preparing to perform the duty of sextons, when the skin should become sufficiently decomposed.

From The Nile tributaries of Abyssinia, and the sword hunters of the Hamran arabs by Baker, Samuel White, Sir