quetzal

Also que·zal

[ket-sahl]

noun

plural

quetzals, quetzales 

1. any of several large Central and South American trogons of the genus Pharomachrus, having golden-green and scarlet plumage, especially P. mocino resplendent quetzal, the national bird of Guatemala: rare and possibly endangered.

2. a paper money and monetary unit of Guatemala, equal to 100 centavos. Q.

quetzal

/ ˈkɛtsəl, kɛˈsɑːl /

noun

1. Also called: resplendent trogon. a crested bird, Pharomachrus mocinno, of Central and N South America, which has a brilliant green, red, and white plumage and, in the male, long tail feathers: family Trogonidae, order Trogoniformes (trogons)

2. the standard monetary unit of Guatemala, divided into 100 centavos

Word History and Origins

Origin of quetzal¹

First recorded in 1820–30; from Latin American Spanish, from Nahuatl quetzalli “plumage of the quetzal bird”

Word History and Origins

Origin of quetzal¹

via American Spanish from Nahuatl quetzalli brightly coloured tail feather

Example Sentences

Visitors record Instagram moments in front of the almost 6-by-4-foot palette of dazzling hues — the product of hundreds of feathers from the long-tailed quetzal bird, interwoven with plumes from other species and gold ornaments.

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They chose to paint it “quetzal,” a rich aqua color that serves as a uniting element for the room’s other pedestals.

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Guatemalan authorities said they also seized documents, books, a laptop, compact discs, two cell phones, and a stuffed bird, possibly a quetzal, the symbol of Guatemala.

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Red, blue, green, and gold drinks fan out like a quetzal’s rainbow of feathers across the six clear trays on Crick’s cart.

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Paintings and decals of quetzals, the long-plumed, vibrantly colored national bird of Guatemala, are as common as murals of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Read more on Los Angeles Times