U

amazon

noun

a river in N South America, flowing E from the Peruvian Andes through N Brazil to the Atlantic Ocean: the largest river in the world in volume of water carried. 3900 miles (6280 km) long.
Classical Mythology. one of a nation of female warriors said to dwell near the Black Sea.
one of a fabled tribe of female warriors in South America.
(often lowercase) a tall, powerful, aggressive woman.
Amazon ant.
any of several green parrots of the genus Amazona, of tropical America, often kept as pets.

Trademark.

the brand name of a retail website, launched in 1995, that has expanded to include cloud computing and other services.

noun

any of various tropical American parrots of the genus Amazona, such as A. farinosa (green amazon), having a short tail and mainly green plumage

noun

Greek myth one of a race of women warriors of Scythia near the Black Sea
one of a legendary tribe of female warriors of South America
(often not capital) any tall, strong, or aggressive woman

noun

a river in South America, rising in the Peruvian Andes and flowing east through N Brazil to the Atlantic: in volume, the largest river in the world; navigable for 3700 km (2300 miles). Length: over 6440 km (4000 miles). Area of basin: over 5 827 500 sq km (2 250 000 sq miles)

late 14c., from Greek Amazon (mostly in plural Amazones) “one of a race of female warriors in Scythia,” probably from an unknown non-Indo-European word, possibly from an Iranian compound *ha-maz-an- “(one) fighting together” [Watkins], but in folk etymology long derived from a- “without” + mazos “breasts,” hence the story that the Amazons cut or burned off one breast so they could draw bowstrings more efficiently.

The river in South America (originally called by the Spanish Rio Santa Maria de la Mar Dulce) rechristened by Francisco de Orellana, 1541, after an encounter with female warriors of the Tapuyas (or, as some say, beardless, long-haired male tribesmen; still others hold that the name is a corruption of a native word in Tupi or Guarani meaning “wave”).