quetzal

[ ket-sahl ]
/ kɛtˈsɑl /

noun, plural quet·zals, quet·za·les [ket-sah-leys] /kɛtˈsɑ leɪs/.

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.
a paper money and monetary unit of Guatemala, equal to 100 centavos. Abbreviation: Q.
Also que·zal [ke-sahl] /kɛˈsɑl/.

Origin of quetzal

1820–30; < American Spanish < Nahuatl quetzalli plumage of the quetzal bird

Example sentences from the Web for quetzal

British Dictionary definitions for quetzal

quetzal

quezal (kɛˈsɑːl)

/ (ˈkɛtsəl) /

noun plural -zals or -zales (-ˈsɑːlɛs)

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)
the standard monetary unit of Guatemala, divided into 100 centavos

Word Origin for quetzal

via American Spanish from Nahuatl quetzalli brightly coloured tail feather