QUETZAL is a brilliantly colored tropical bird native to Central America, also the national bird and currency unit of Guatemala.
Yes. QUETZAL is in the Scrabble-style word list used by our tools and scores 25 points in Scrabble, 27 in Words With Friends and 26 in Wordfeud (base tile values, no board multipliers). Always check the dictionary your game uses (NWL, Collins or the WWF list) before playing.
| Letter | Q | U | E | T | Z | A | L | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrabble | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 25 |
| Words With Friends | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 27 |
| Wordfeud | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 26 |
A QUETZAL is a strikingly beautiful bird found in the cloud forests of Central America, renowned for its iridescent green plumage and the male's spectacular tail feathers that can reach up to three feet in length. The resplendent quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) is considered one of the world's most beautiful birds. Beyond ornithology, the quetzal holds profound cultural significance. It serves as Guatemala's national bird and lends its name to the country's currency. In ancient Mesoamerican cultures, particularly among the Maya and Aztec, the quetzal was considered sacred, associated with the snake god Quetzalcoatl. Biological characteristics: Family: Trogonidae (trogons) Habitat: Cloud forests from Mexico to Panama Diet: Fruits, insects, small vertebrates Conservation: Near threatened due to habitat loss
The word quetzal derives from Nahuatl (Aztec) quetzalli, meaning "large brilliant tail feather." The Nahuatl word breaks down into quetza (to stand) + -lli (nominal suffix), literally meaning "the standing one," referring to the bird's distinctive upright tail plumes. The word entered Spanish during the conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century and was adopted into English by the 1820s. The mythological figure Quetzalcoatl combines quetzal + coatl (serpent), meaning "feathered serpent." As a currency name, Guatemala adopted "quetzal" in 1925, replacing the peso, to honor both the national bird and indigenous heritage.
Anagrams: no other word uses exactly the letters of QUETZAL.
Hooks: no front hooks; back QUETZALS.
Words inside QUETZAL: 45 shorter words can be made from these letters – highest scoring: QUEZALEQUALQUALEQUATELAZELUTZZEALZETALEZQATQUAZA. See all words from QUETZAL.