Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
quetzal [ket-sahl] ExamplesWord Origin 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 Examples from the Web for quetzal Historical Examples of quetzal
The lion and the tiger roared, and the first bird that sang was the Quetzal.
Frona Eunice Wait
Would you have me believe all this from Quetzal, show me something that is to come.
Lew Wallace
The revelation of Mualox was prophecy here confirmed,—Quetzal was coming!
Lew Wallace
You have described a god; it is Quetzal, the holy, beautiful Quetzal!
Lew Wallace
On the day of the combat, about the time of the assemblage, I went to the C of Quetzal for blessing.
Lew Wallace
British Dictionary definitions for quetzal quetzal quezal (kɛˈsɑːl) 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 Word Origin and History for quetzal n.
central American bird with brilliant plumage, 1827, from Spanish quetzal, from Aztec quetzalli the bird name, literally “tail-feather.”