motmot
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˈmɒtˌmɒt/
- US
- Dr. Motmot
Examples
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The motmot is easily recognized by its unique racket-shaped tail feathers.
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I just saw a blue-crowned motmot.
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For stronger story irony, I should probably have selected a variety even rarer, like the Keel-billed Motmot, our official "trip" bird; but the Tinamou, unlike the Motmot, works close to the ground in the jungle thickets.
Fiction book (1997) -
For stronger story irony, I should probably have selected a variety even rarer, like the Keel-billed Motmot, our official "trip" bird; but the Tinamou, unlike the Motmot, works close to the ground in the jungle thickets.
Fiction book (1997) -
During our birdwatching trip, we spotted a beautiful motmot with striking blue and green feathers.
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As I walked through the tropical forest, I heard the distinct call of a motmot echoing among the trees.
Surface Forms
Etymology
Motmot comes from a native American name for the bird that was taken into Spanish and then English. A helpful way to remember motmot is to imagine its short, repeating call and bright green and blue colors, because the name sounds like a quick, repeated note and now names this tropical bird with racket-shaped tail feathers.