condor

American  

[kon-der, -dawr] / ˈkɒn dər, -dɔr /

noun

1. either of two large, New World vultures of the family Cathartidae, Gymnogyps californianus California condor or Vultur gryphus Andean condor, the largest flying birds in the Western Hemisphere: the California condor is almost extinct; the Andean condor is greatly reduced in number and rare in many areas.

2. a former coin of Chile equal to 10 pesos.

3. a former coin of Ecuador equal to 10 sucres.

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condor British  

/ ˈkɒndɔː /

noun

1. either of two very large rare New World vultures, Vultur gryphus ( Andean condor ), which has black plumage with white around the neck, and Gymnogyps californianus ( California condor ), which is similar but nearly extinct

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Etymology

Origin of condor

First recorded in 1595–1605; from South American Spanish, from Quechua kuntur

Compare meaning

How does condor compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• condor vs. vulture

Explanation

A condor is a vulture with a huge wingspan. The California condor has been reintroduced after being declared extinct in the wild in 1987. There are two species of condor, the Andean condor and the California condor. Both are enormous vultures that feed on carrion. Since a captive breeding program and conservation efforts allowed their return to the wild, there are about 500 California condors living today. It's the largest land bird in North America, with a wingspan of up to nearly ten feet. The word condor is derived from the Quechua word for the bird, kuntur.

Example Sentences

A California condor known as Ney-gem’ ‘Ne-chweenkah’ — Yurok for “She carries our prayers” — has been flying to a particular spot deep inside Redwood National Park, near Klamath.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2026

The walls of the restaurant are crowded full of condor images and artifacts — “like you’re having dinner in your favorite natural history museum,” McBride said.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 26, 2025

The Los Angeles Zoo announced this week that 10 healthy condors were hatched, making them eligible to be released in the wild to help replenish the state’s depleted condor population.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 28, 2025

True to his name, the young condor was always willing to share his food and often spotted grooming and huddling together with other birds in his flock, Williams-Claussen said in the statement.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 14, 2025

He wears white condor flight gloves with elaborate gold fining, which means he’s already completed fighter pilot training.

From "Legend" by Marie Lu