Guacharo definition

gwächə-rō
guacharos
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A nightjar (Steatornis caripensis) of northern South America that roosts in caves and eats fruit. The young birds were formerly collected for their fat, which was used for cooking oil.
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A nocturnal bird of South America and Trinidad (Steatornis caripensis, or S. steatornis); the oilbird.
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A South American night goatsucker (Steatornis caripensis) of a family (Steatornithidae) with only one species; oilbird: the melted fat of the young birds is used for cooking and lighting.
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Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
guacharo
Plural:
guacharoes, guacharos

Origin of guacharo

  • American Spanish guácharo from guacho vagabond from Quechua wakcha, wahcha poor person, orphan (the bird perhaps being so called because of its plaintive cries)

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Compare Spanish sickly, dropsical, guacharaca a sort of bird.

    From Wiktionary

Guacharo Sentence Examples

  • One species, the guacharo (Steatornis caripensis), or oil-bird, is commonly said to occur only in Venezuela, though it is found in Colombia and Ecuador also.

  • The principal cave, known as the Cueva del Guacharo, extends inward a distance of 2800 ft.

  • These caves are frequented by a species of night-hawk, called guacharo, which nests in the recesses of the rocks.

  • Species of the pheasant and partridge are not uncommon, and the " guacharo " (Steatornis caripensis), once believed to inhabit Venezuela only, is found in Ecuador also.

  • In habits the guacharo is wholly nocturnal, slumbering by day in deep and dark caverns which it frequents in vast numbers.

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Words near guacharo in the Dictionary