macaw

American  

[muh-kaw] / məˈkɔ /

noun

macaws plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• macaws
  plural

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

He bought an acre of his grandfather’s farmland with a $10,000 student loan, built a barn with an apartment and rescued a macaw named Cisco and umbrella cockatoo named Andrew to bring to children’s parties.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

In thanks, the robot lifts a vibrant macaw skyward, helping it take flight,” she added.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 1, 2026

Last year, two Spix’s macaw chicks were born in freedom — the first ones in decades— but they didn’t survive.

From Seattle Times • May 28, 2024

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

From New York Times • Oct. 30, 2023

Lourdes refilled the mosaic-lined fountain with sweet water and built an aviary in the garden, stocking it with toucans and cockatoos, parrots, a macaw, and canaries that sang in high octaves.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García