/ket sahl"/ , n. , pl. quetzals, quetzales /-sah"lays/ .
1. any of several large Central and South American trogons of the genus Pharomachrus, having golden-green and scarlet plumage, esp. P. mocino (resplendent quetzal) , the national bird of Guatemala: rare and possibly endangered.
2. a paper money and monetary unit of Guatemala, equal to 100 centavos. Abbr.: Q.
Also, quezal /ke sahl"/ .
[ 1820-30; quetzalli plumage of the quetzal bird ]