Quetzal Feather
/ˈkɛt.səl ˌfɛð.ər/noun
A feather from a quetzal, especially one prized for its brilliant green color and long, flowing form.
Did you know?The word quetzal comes from Classical Nahuatl quetzalli, meaning a precious or beautiful feather, while the bird’s spectacular plumes were used in elite Mesoamerican regalia.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*peth₂-
“To fly or rush through the air; the ancestral root behind the feather branch.”
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*feþrō
“A feather or wing-feather.”
Old English
Old English
feþer
“A feather, wing, or plumage.”
16th Century
Classical Nahuatl
quetzalli
“A precious, beautiful, or valuable feather; also associated with the quetzal bird.”
16th Century
Spanish
quetzal
“The name adopted by Spanish speakers for the brilliantly plumed Central American bird.”
Modern English
English
quetzal feather
“A feather belonging to, or resembling the brilliant plume of, a quetzal.”
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