Definition

1. Noun:
   • A large, colorful bird of the trogon family: A quetzal is a bird native to Central and South America, known for its brilliant golden-green and scarlet plumage, especially in males. It is a symbol of liberty in Guatemala.
   • The basic monetary unit of Guatemala: A quetzal is the standard unit of currency in Guatemala, subdivided into 100 centavos.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Bird):
  • The resplendent quetzal is considered one of the most beautiful birds in the world.
  • We hope to spot a quetzal in the cloud forest during our trip.
• Noun (Currency):
  • The price of the souvenir was fifty quetzals.
  • He exchanged his dollars for Guatemalan quetzales at the bank.

Advanced Usage

• "Resplendent quetzal": The full name for the most famous and vibrantly colored species, .
  • The resplendent quetzal was revered by the ancient Maya and Aztec civilizations.
• Plural forms: The plural can be "quetzals" (especially for currency) or the Spanish form "quetzales."
  • I have a collection of old quetzales from different years.

Variants and Related Words

• Quetzalcoatl: The name of an Aztec deity, the "Feathered Serpent," which incorporates the word "quetzal" to signify the bird's precious feathers.
  • Quetzalcoatl was a major god in ancient Mesoamerican culture.

Synonyms

• Trogon (for the bird): This is the family name for this type of bird, though "quetzal" specifies the most brilliantly colored genera.
• GTQ (for the currency): The official ISO 4217 currency code for the Guatemalan quetzal.

Related Phrases

• "Pájaro quetzal": The Spanish phrase for "quetzal bird."
  • El pájaro quetzal aparece en la bandera de Guatemala. (The quetzal bird appears on the flag of Guatemala.)

Noun

1. large trogon of Central America and South America having golden-green and scarlet plumage
2. the basic unit of money in Guatemala; equal to 100 centavos