Illustration of marabou
- marabou 1b
mar·a·bou
ˈmer-ə-ˌbü
ˈma-rə-
variants
or less commonly marabout
1
a
: a soft feathery fluffy material prepared from turkey feathers or the coverts of marabous and used especially for trimming women's hats or clothes
b
marabou
: a large dark gray African stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer) that has a distensible pouch of pink skin at the front of the neck and feeds especially on carrion
called also marabou stork
2
a
: silk composed of several twisted threads that is dyed before the sericin has been removed
b
: a fabric made of this silk
mar·a·bout
ˈmer-ə-ˌbü
ˈma-rə-
variants
often Marabout
: a dervish in Muslim Africa believed to have supernatural power
Cite this Entry
“Marabou.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marabou. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.
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