matamata

noun

ma·​ta·​ma·​ta

ˌmatəməˈtä

plural -s

1

: a pleurodiran turtle (Chelus fimbriata) of Guiana and the northern part of Brazil that reaches a length of three feet, has a rough shell and a long neck with fleshy fimbriae on the neck and on the head, and produces eggs that yield an edible oil

2

: any of several South American trees of the genus Eschweilera of the family Lecythidaceae

especially : a tree yielding a heavy hard compact wood used for pilings and foundation construction

Word History

Etymology

Portuguese matamatá, from Tupi

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