Main Entry:

quet·zal

Pronunciation:

\ket-ˈsäl, -ˈsal\

Function:

noun

Inflected Form(s):

plural quetzals or quet·za·les \-ˈsä-(ˌ)lās, -ˈsa-\

Etymology:

American Spanish, from Nahuatl quetzalli tail coverts of the quetzal

Date:

1827

1: a Central American trogon (Pharomachrus mocinno) that has brilliant green plumage above, a red breast, and in the male long upper tail coverts2plural quetzales — see money table

[quetzal illustration]