macaw

American  

[muh-kaw] / məˈkɔ /

noun

1. any of various large, long-tailed parrots of tropical and subtropical America, noted for their brilliant plumage and distinctive light-colored facial patches: of the six macaw genera, Ara includes the most familiar and greatest number of species, while Cyanopsitta has just one species, C. spixii Spix's macaw, a small, blue macaw, now classified as possibly extinct in the wild.

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macaw British  

/ məˈkɔː /

noun

1. any large tropical American parrot of the genera Ara and Anodorhynchus, having a long tail and brilliant plumage

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Etymology

Origin of macaw

First recorded in 1620–30; from Portuguese macao, macau, probably from macaúba from Tupi macahuba, equivalent to maca “palm” + ybá “tree”

Example Sentences

The animal is a parrot, a sociable macaw named Eureka.

From New York Times • Oct. 30, 2023

Another attendee was Naldinho Kumaruara, 29, a spiritual leader wearing a crown of blue macaw feathers and a necklace made of snake bones, and who held a giant maraca in his hand.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 7, 2023

Mango the macaw flew out of a window at the site in Great Barr, Sandwell, following a clap of thunder on Sunday.

From BBC • Jul. 11, 2023

Across the store, a macaw Allen had adopted from a bird rescue group called out a throaty “hello.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 10, 2023

It fit into my palm, and I saw that it was a jungle bird, a baby macaw.

From "The Ugly One" by Leanne Statland Ellis