macaw

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Portuguese macau, of unknown origin. English sources point to Nheengatu makawana,[1][2] which is only attested from the 20th century onwards.[3]

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /məˈkɔː/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • (US) IPA(key): /məˈkɑ/, /məˈkɔ/
  • Rhymes: -ɔː

Noun

macaw (plural macaws)

  1. Any of various parrots of the genera Ara, Anodorhynchus, Cyanopsitta, Orthopsittaca, Primolius and Diopsittaca of Central and South America, including the largest parrots and characterized by long sabre-shaped tails, curved powerful bills, and usually brilliant plumage.

Derived terms

Translations

References

  1. ^ “macaw, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
  2. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2025) “macaw”, in Online Etymology Dictionary, retrieved 10 July 2025.
  3. ^ Marcel Twardowsky Avila (2021) “makawana”, in Proposta de dicionário nheengatu-português [Nheengatu–Portuguese dictionary proposal] (in Portuguese), São Paulo: USP, →DOI, page 439
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