1. any of several large african storks of the genus Leptoptilos that scavenge for carrion and that have a soft white down on the underside. also called adjutant, adjutant stork.
2. the down of one of these storks or an imitation of it made from other bird feathers.
3. A hat or garment trimmed with the down of a stork or an imitation of it.
4. A raw silk that can be dyed without being separated from the gum.
5. A fabric or an article of apparel made from such silk.

1. A large wading bird native to africa, with a naked head and neck adapted for scavenging.
2. one having five eighths negro blood; the offspring of a mulatto and a griffe.

1. A large black-and-white carrion-eating stork of the genus Leptoptilos (formerly ciconia), esp. the african species (Leptoptilus crumeniferus syn. Leptoptilos crumenifer), whose downy under-wing feathers are used to trim garments; called also marabout. the asiatic species (Leptoptilos dubius, or Leptoptilos argala) is the adjutant. see adjutant.
2. one having five eighths negro blood; the offspring of a mulatto and a griffe.
3. A kind of thrown raw silk, nearly white naturally, but capable of being dyed without scouring; also, a thin fabric made from it, as for scarfs, which resembles the feathers of the marabou in delicacy, -- whence the name.

1. A kind of stork, more commonly called marabou-stork.
2. A kind of raw silk which is peculiarly white and can be dyed without being freed from its natural gum: so called from the resemblance of its delicate fibers to marabou-feathers.
3. the variety of negro which springs from a mulatto and a griffe: so called by the french of Louisiana.

1. large african black-and-white carrion-eating stork; its downy underwing feathers are used to trim garments
2. the downy feathers of marabou storks are used for trimming garments