Marabou
/ˈmær.ə.buː/noun
A large tropical stork, or a soft fabric made from its down.
Did you know?The bird name passed into European languages through Arabic and African trade contact, and the fabric sense later borrowed the prestige of the bird’s soft plumage.
Etymological Timeline
French 18th Century
French
marabout
“A Muslim holy man; later also the name of a stork-like bird”
Arabic
Arabic
murābiṭ
“One who is stationed or engaged in religious retreat; a holy man or hermit”
North African Arabic
Arabic
marābū
“A stork or large wading bird”
19th Century
English
marabou
“A large African stork; later, soft fluffy fabric or trimming made to imitate its down”