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

Among the valuable trading goods produced at Casas Grandes were colorful macaw feathers commonly used in Anasazi rituals.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

He kept staring at her the way people stare at the great white macaw in the zoo, waiting for it to say something human.

From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath