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.
2.
a paper money and monetary unit of Guatemala, equal to 100 centavos.
Abbreviation: Q.
Also, quezal
[ke-sahl] /kɛˈsɑl/ (Show IPA).
Origin
1820-30; < American Spanish < Nahuatlquetzalli plumage of the quetzal bird
Examples from the web for quetzal
Seven are globally threatened, including resplendent quetzal and golden-cheeked warbler.
British Dictionary definitions for quetzal
quetzal
/ˈkɛtsəl/
noun (pl) -zals, -zales (-ˈsɑːlɛs)
1.
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)
2.
the standard monetary unit of Guatemala, divided into 100 centavos
Word Origin
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."