seriema

[ ser-ee-ee-muh, -ey-muh ]

noun

1. either of two birds of the family Cariamidae, Cariama cristata, of southern Brazil, or Chunga burmeisteri, of Argentina, having long legs, an erectile crest, a short, broad bill, and limited ability to fly.

seriema

/ ˌsɛrɪˈiːmə /

noun

1. either of two cranelike South American birds, Cariama cristata or Chunga burmeisteri, having a crest just above the bill, rounded wings, and a long tail: family Cariamidae, order Gruiformes (cranes, rails, etc)

Word History and Origins

Origin of seriema¹

1830–40; < New Latin < Tupi: crested

Word History and Origins

Origin of seriema¹

C19: from New Latin, from Tupi çariama crested

Example Sentences

In his first book, he ventures to then-British Cameroons; in the second installment, he journeys to Argentina, the land of peccaries, tapirs, seriemas and other fascinating fauna.

From Washington Post

Adults of their species range across the color spectrum, from the indigo bunting to the redhead duck, rose-breasted grosbeak and red-legged seriema.

From Washington Post

He once struck a seriema, a terrestrial bird that resembles a roadrunner on stilts, and he collided with a parakeet while riding his motorcycle.

From New York Times

Not biting, evidently: the scientists used a bite meter to compare the chomping power of an eagle and of a seriema, a not-very-terrifying modern relative of the extinct bird.

From Time