condor

noun

con·​dor ˈkän-ˌdȯr  -dər 

1

a

: a very large American vulture (Vultur gryphus) of the high Andes having the head and neck bare and the plumage dull black with a downy white neck ruff and white patches on the wings

called also Andean condor

b

: california condor

2

plural condors or condores kən-ˈdȯr-ˌās  : a coin (such as the centesimo of Chile) bearing the picture of a condor

Examples of condor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The scenic two-hour drive is spectacular and Colca Canyon—one of the deepest canyons in the world and home to soaring Andean condors—provides a fitting finale to South America’s most remarkable rail journey. — Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 17 July 2026

Thanks to a recovery program under the act, the condor population has since soared to several hundred. — Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026

We're deeply honored to partner with the Yurok Tribe to help bring this iconic species back to its ancestral range and to support a future for condors in the Pacific Northwest. — Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026

Participants travel by horseback to South American landscapes few people ever reach, from vast valleys and sweeping pampas to ancient lenga forests and high plateaus populated with condors. — Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 6 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Spanish cóndor, from Quechua kuntur

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing condor

• Andean condor
• California condor

Rhymes for condor

• fonder
• launder
• mandir
• maunder
• ponder
• squander
• wander
• yonder
• responder
• transponder

Kids Definition

condor

noun

con·​dor ˈkän-dər  -ˌdȯ(ə)r 

1

: a very large South American vulture of the high Andes having the head and neck bare and the plumage dull black with a ring of white down behind the head

2

: california condor