jaguar

noun

jag·​uar ˈja-ˌgwär How to pronounce jaguar (audio) -gyə-ˌwär How to pronounce jaguar (audio)
-gwər;
 dialectal  -gwī(-ə)r,
 especially British  ˈja-gyə-wər
plural jaguars also jaguar
: a large cat (Panthera onca) chiefly of Central and South America that is larger and stockier than the leopard and is brownish yellow or buff with black spots

Illustration of jaguar

Illustration of jaguar

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The jaguar is the largest New World cat. It was once found in wooded regions from the U.S.-Mexican border south to Patagonia, Currently, the jaguar survives, in reduced numbers, only in remote areas of Central and South America; the largest known population is in the Amazon rain forest. The male is 5.5-9.0 ft. (1.7-2.7 m) long, including the tail, which measures 23-35-in. (60-90-cm) long, and weighs 220-350 lbs. (100-160 kg). The coat is typically orange-tan with black spots arranged in rosettes with a black spot in the center. A solitary predator, the jaguar usually hunts rodents, deer, birds, and fish; it will also take cattle, horses, and dogs.

Examples of jaguar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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While their coloring is usually spotted, similar to that of a leopard, around 11 percent of jaguars are the rarer variety, known as the black panther. Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 27 Sep. 2024 Alex mating with an Italian trapeze jaguar is only the tip of the weird-joke iceberg. 15. Sean Malin, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2024 Traffic is minimal; instead, monkeys, iguanas, and the occasional jaguar have free reign. Denny Lee, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 2024 There are black panthers, a melanistic version of a leopard, Panthera pardus, or jaguar, Panthera onca. Elizabeth Carlen, Discover Magazine, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for jaguar 

Word History

Etymology

Portuguese, from Tupi jawára large carnivore

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jaguar was in 1604

Dictionary Entries Near jaguar

Cite this Entry

“Jaguar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jaguar. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

jaguar

noun
jag·​uar ˈjag(-yə)-ˌwär How to pronounce jaguar (audio)
: a large yellowish brown black-spotted cat of tropical America that is larger and has a more solid build than the leopard

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