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

In North America, archaeologists have carbon-dated Scarlet Macaw bones found in New Mexico's Chaco Canyon—hundreds of miles northwest of the parrots' Central American range—to the 10th century C.E.

From Scientific American • Jun. 20, 2023

The market features 26 artisans from the District, including Stich & Rivet, artist Kelly Towles, Harper Macaw chocolate, Jerkface Jerky and much more.

From Washington Post • Nov. 23, 2016

Mr. and Mrs. Macaw: Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway supply the voices of the computer-animated lovebirds in the 2014 sequel "Rio 2."

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 26, 2014

Maybe Spix's Macaw is doomed to join them ere long.

From The Guardian • Apr. 11, 2011

He could move into Macaw Cottage in just two days.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman