n. A very large South American bird of prey, Sarcorhamphus gryphus, of the family Cathartidæ or American vultures, having the head and upper part of the neck naked and largely carunculate, an exposed ruff of downy white feathers round the neck, and the general plumage blackish, varied with much white in the wings.n. A South American gold coin. That of Ecuador and Colombia is worth $9.647; that of Chili, $9.123.