macaw

[ muh-kaw ]

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.

macaw

/ məˈkɔː /

noun

1. any large tropical American parrot of the genera Ara and Anodorhynchus, having a long tail and brilliant plumage

Word History and Origins

Origin of macaw¹

First recorded in 1620–30; from Portuguese macao, macau, probably from macaúba from Tupi macahuba, equivalent to maca “palm” + ybá “tree”

Word History and Origins

Origin of macaw¹

C17: from Portuguese macau, of unknown origin

Example Sentences

Following several tip-offs, London Zoo bird-keepers headed to the home of a family in Buckden, who had searched online for missing bird reports after spotting the macaws resting in trees in their garden.

From BBC

Here, dolphins can be spotted popping out of the river and blue macaws fly overhead.

From BBC

But then Death visits — literally, in the form of a talking macaw — and Zora must confront the end of everything she holds dear.

From Los Angeles Times

For the Spix’s macaws, immortalized in the popular animated “Rio” films, the road back from the edge of extinction has been a long, winding and bumpy one.

From Seattle Times

Known as French John, he carried away Dolley Madison’s bird, a prized macaw, and left her beloved pet safely at the French ambassador’s residence.

From Literature