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guan

American  
[gwahn] / gwɑn /

noun

  1. a large game bird of the curassow family, common in dense woodlands of Central and South America, somewhat resembling a turkey.


guan British  
/ ɡwɑːn /

noun

  1. any gallinaceous bird of the genera Penelope, Pipile, etc, of Central and South America: family Cracidae (curassows)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of guan

First recorded in 1735–45; from Latin American Spanish

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A hen-like Andean guan and her chicks were perched on a high branch.

From New York Times • Apr. 26, 2023

In this case, the one guan note is worth 1,000 coins, as can be seen from the illustration on the 34cm by 22cm note.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2016

The highly toxic herb is likely to be present in a host of botanicals, including Dutchman's pipe, guan mu ton, heart snake root and birthwort.

From Time Magazine Archive

“I no guan seven gray. I eight gray. I teeneyer.”

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

The natives of the Canary Islands called themselves Guanches, from guan, man; as the Tonguese call themselves bye, and tongui, which have the same signification as guan.

From Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of America, During the Year 1799-1804 — Volume 1 by Ross, Thomasina