quetzal

quet·zal

Q0027900 (kĕt-säl′)n. pl. quet·zals or quet·za·les (-sä′lās) 1. Any of several tropical American birds of the genera Pharomachrus and Euptilotis having brilliant bronze-green and red plumage and, in the male, long flowing tail feathers, especially P. mocinno of Central America.2. See Table at currency.

[American Spanish, from Nahuatl quetzalli, large brilliant tail feather.]

quetzal

(ˈkɛtsəl) or

quezal

n, pl -zals or -zales (-ˈsɑːlɛs) 1. (Animals) 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. (Currencies) the standard monetary unit of Guatemala, divided into 100 centavos[via American Spanish from Nahuatl quetzalli brightly coloured tail feather]

quet•zal

(kɛtˈsɑl)

also que•zal

(kɛ-)

n., pl. -zals, -za•les (-ˈsɑ leɪs) 1. any of several large New World trogons of the genus Pharomachrus, esp. P. mocinno, of S Mexico and Central America, with golden-green and scarlet plumage and, in the male, greatly elongated tail coverts. 2. the basic monetary unit of Guatemala. [1820–30; < American Spanish < Nahuatl quetzalli plumage of the quetzal]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	quetzal - the basic unit of money in Guatemala; equal to 100 centavoscentavo - a fractional monetary unit of several countries: El Salvador and Sao Tome and Principe and Brazil and Argentina and Bolivia and Colombia and Cuba and the Dominican Republic and Ecuador and El Salvador and Guatemala and Honduras and Mexico and Nicaragua and Peru and the Philippines and PortugalGuatemalan monetary unit - monetary unit in Guatemala
	2.	quetzal - large trogon of Central America and South America having golden-green and scarlet plumagequetzal birdtrogon - forest bird of warm regions of the New World having brilliant lustrous plumage and long tailsgenus Pharomacrus, Pharomacrus - a genus of TrogonidaePharomacrus mocino, resplendent quetzel, resplendent trogon - very rare Central American bird; the national bird of Guatemala

quetzal

(kĕtsäl`) or

quezal

(kāsäl`), common name for a magnificent bird of the family Trogonidae (trogontrogon
, family of tropical jungle birds related to the roadrunners and including the quetzal. Trogons are sedentary arboreal birds, 10 to 14 in. (25.4–35.6 cm) long, with short rounded wings, long squared tails, and small weak legs.
..... Click the link for more information. family), found in the rain forests from S Mexico to Costa Rica at altitudes of up to 9,000 ft (2,745 m). It is strikingly beautiful, with a crested head, bronze-green back, and crimson and white underparts. Quetzals nest in holes, and lay from two to four eggs per clutch. The male shares incubation duties with the female. The nesting hole has a single entrance, not two as was once believed. The Aztec and Maya used the 2-ft (61-cm) shimmering green tail plumes of the breeding male ceremonially and worshiped the bird as the god of the air, associating it with the god QuetzalcoatlQuetzalcoatl
[Nahuatl,=feathered serpent], ancient deity and legendary ruler of the Toltec in Mexico. The name is also that of a Toltec ruler, who is credited with the discovery of corn, the arts, science, and the calendar.
..... Click the link for more information. . The quetzal, Pharomachrus mocino, is the national bird of Guatemala, and a monetary unit of the country is also called a quetzal. Quetzals are classified in the phylum ChordataChordata
, phylum of animals having a notochord, or dorsal stiffening rod, as the chief internal skeletal support at some stage of their development. Most chordates are vertebrates (animals with backbones), but the phylum also includes some small marine invertebrate animals.
..... Click the link for more information. , subphylum Vertebrata, class Aves, order Trogoniformes, family Trogonidae.

Quetzal

(Pharomachrus mocino), a bird of the order Trogoniformes. The body (without the tail) measures approximately 40 cm long. The head, breast, and back are an iridescent green, the lower part of the breast and the abdomen are crimson, and the tail is black and white and entirely covered by very long (up to 80 cm) upper coverts. The bird inhabits the mountain rain forests of Central America, from southern Mexico to western Panama. It nests twice a year in tree hollows, producing two pale blue eggs at a time. The quetzal feeds on small fruits. The young are initially fed insects and small lizards, then fruits. The quetzal is the national bird of Guatemala.

quetzal

quet·zal

quetzal

quezal

quet•zal

also que•zal

quetzal

quetzal

quezal

Quetzal

quetzal

Synonyms for quetzal

noun the basic unit of money in Guatemala

Related Words

noun large trogon of Central America and South America having golden-green and scarlet plumage

Synonyms

Related Words