Meanings
nounmacaw (plural macaws)
plural macaws · alternative obsolete maccaw · alternative obsolete macao
- Any of various parrots of the genera Ara, Anodorhynchus, Cyanopsitta, Orthopsittaca, Primolius and Diopsittaca of Central and South America, including the largest parrots and characterized by long sabre-shaped tails, curved powerful bills, and usually brilliant plumage.
Origin
- Portuguesemacau
- Englishmacaw
From Portuguese macau, of unknown origin. English sources point to Nheengatu makawana, which is only attested from the 20th century onwards.
More words from Portuguese
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans ara pappegaai
- ara pappegaaivarious parrots
Basque guakamaio
- guakamaiovarious parrots
Bulgarian ара
- ара (ara)various parrots
Catalan guacamai
- guacamaivarious parrots
Chinese Mandarin 金剛鸚鵡 /金刚鹦鹉, 𪄳鷎 /鿺𬸢
- 金剛鸚鵡 /金刚鹦鹉 (jīngāng yīngwǔ)various parrots
- 𪄳鷎 /鿺𬸢 (mài'áo)various parrots
Czech ara
- aravarious parrots
Danish ara
- aravarious parrots
Dutch ara
- aravarious parrots
Esperanto arao
- araovarious parrots
Finnish ara
- aravarious parrots
French ara
- aravarious parrots
German Ara
- Aravarious parrots
Greek μακάο
- μακάο (makáo)various parrots
Hindi मैकौ
- मैकौ (maikau)various parrots
Hungarian arapapagáj, ara
- arapapagájvarious parrots
- aravarious parrots
Irish macá
- macávarious parrots
Italian ara
- aravarious parrots
Japanese 金剛鸚哥
- 金剛鸚哥 (kongōinko)various parrots
Norwegian ara, ara papegøye
- aravarious parrots
- ara papegøyevarious parrots
Persian مکائو
- مکائو (makâ'o)various parrots
Polish ara
- aravarious parrots
Portuguese arara
- araravarious parrots
Romanian ara
- aravarious parrots
Russian а́ра
- а́ра (ára)various parrots
Slovak ara
- aravarious parrots
Spanish guacamaya, guacamayo
- guacamayavarious parrots
- guacamayovarious parrots
- guaravarious parrots
- lapavarious parrots
- papagayovarious parrots
- parabavarious parrots
Swedish ara, arapapegoja
- aravarious parrots
- arapapegojavarious parrots
Turkish ara
- aravarious parrots
Welsh macaw
- macawvarious parrots
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with macaw
lawsawrawdrawshawawwithdrawMcGrawstrawwarsawwofauxjawthoughtfultauflawawepawclawthorLimbaughwaughhawthaw
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
macaw. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/macaw
MLA
“macaw.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/macaw. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “macaw,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/macaw.
Source: macaw on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.