marabou

[ mar-uh-boo ]

noun
  1. any of three large storks of the genus Leptoptilus, of Africa or the East Indies, having soft, downy feathers under the wings and tail that are used for making a furlike trimming for women's hats and garments.

  2. one of the feathers.

  1. the trimming or material made of the feathers.

  2. thrown silk that can be dyed without being scoured.

Origin of marabou

1
1815–25; <French marabout literally, marabout

Words Nearby marabou

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How to use marabou in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for marabou

marabou

/ (ˈmærəˌbuː) /


noun
  1. a large black-and-white African carrion-eating stork, Leptoptilos crumeniferus, with a very short naked neck and a straight heavy bill: See also adjutant bird

  2. a down feather of this bird, used to trim garments

    • a fine white raw silk

    • fabric made of this

Origin of marabou

1
C19: from French, from Arabic murābit marabout, so called because the stork is considered a holy bird in Islam

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