Illustration of jaguar
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
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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
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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
California For Subscribers OnlyFans, trafficking and drug dealers: How a jaguar cub wound up in a California suburb
Oct. 1, 2024
Merced County Sheriff Vernon Warnke said the agricultural equipment thefts have a ripple effect that eventually reaches Americans who shop at local stores.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2024
Said to resemble a jaguar’s head, this shape was a symbol of power.
—Martin Broen, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Oct. 2024
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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
California For Subscribers OnlyFans, trafficking and drug dealers: How a jaguar cub wound up in a California suburb
Oct. 1, 2024
Merced County Sheriff Vernon Warnke said the agricultural equipment thefts have a ripple effect that eventually reaches Americans who shop at local stores.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2024
Said to resemble a jaguar’s head, this shape was a symbol of power.
—Martin Broen, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for jaguar
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Cite this Entry
“Jaguar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jaguar. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
jaguar
noun
jag·uar
ˈjag(-yə)-ˌwär 
: 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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