quetzal

American  

[ket-sahl] / kɛtˈsɑl /

Also quezal

noun

• quetzals,
  plural
• quetzales
  plural

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.

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quetzal British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• quetzales
  plural
• quetzals
  plural

Etymology

Origin of quetzal

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

quetzal quetzales quetzals

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.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2025

The many preserved frescos and murals show the city’s rulers dressed in elaborate clothing, including iridescent quetzal bird feathers from as far away as Guatemala, testifying to Teotihuacán’s long reach.

From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023

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.

From Reuters ● Nov. 18, 2022

Although the cultures shared staples such as maize, the luxury goods prized in Teotihuacan, such as jade, cacao, and brightly colored quetzal feathers, all came from the tropical jungles of the Maya lowlands.

From Science Magazine ● Feb. 27, 2020

Its nest, its pallet, was of every kind of precious feather— Of lovely cotinga feathers, roseate spoonbill feathers, quetzal feathers.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Gonzalez normally sells her beans to an intermediary who will pay about 5 quetzales — approximately 64 U.S. cents — per pound.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 25, 2024

After she factors in the cost and labor of producing the beans, she makes only about 2 quetzales — about 25 cents — in profit per pound.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 25, 2024

The main witness in the case was a former banker, Ronald Giovanni García Navarijo, who told prosecutors that Mr. Zamora asked him to launder 300,000 Guatemalan quetzales, or nearly $40,000.

From New York Times ● Jun. 14, 2023

At the Honduran border crossing of Corinto, where money-changers wave large wads of Guatemalan quetzales at deportees getting off yellow U.S. school buses, bored-looking police officers inspect the papers of those heading into Guatemala.

From Reuters ● Aug. 5, 2014

Hiding the 100,000 quetzales in his home, he too took refuge.

From Time Magazine Archive

That’s 50,000 Guatemalan quetzals — about $6,400 — to go from Guatemala to the U.S. border, $6,000 for crossing and smuggling fees, and $700 to get him from Phoenix to New York.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 27, 2022

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

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2022

But Roberto was doing better financially than anyone in his family ever had, making as much as 300 quetzals, or about $40, a day in his shop.

From New York Times ● Aug. 18, 2020

Money-changers jostled with family members awaiting long-lost relatives, offering to change U.S. dollars into Guatemalan quetzals, calling, “Pesos, pesos, pesos.”

From Washington Post ● Aug. 10, 2019

Why, if we were to begin to pack up, I daresay the next thing we should see would be a flock of quetzals flying about.”

From Through Forest and Stream The Quest of the Quetzal by George Manville Fenn