| 1. any of a number of large brightly colored parrots (native to tropical and subtropical America). macawma*caw , n. [from the native name in the antilles.] (zo?l.) any parrot of the genus sittace, or macrocercus. about eighteen species are known, all of them american. they are large and have a very long tail, a strong hooked bill, and a naked space around the eyes. the voice is harsh, and the colors are brilliant and strongly contrasted.macaw bush (bot.), a west indian name for a prickly kind of nightshade (solanum mammosum).macaw palm,macaw tree (bot.), a tropical american palm (acrocomia fusiformis and other species) having a prickly stem and pinnately divided leaves. its nut yields a yellow butter, with the perfume of violets, which is used in making violet soap. called also grugru palm |
