tanuki

noun

ta·​nu·​ki tä-ˈnü-kē How to pronounce tanuki (audio)
: the fur of a raccoon dog
also : raccoon dog

Examples of tanuki in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Many porches displayed tanuki statues, hoping the jolly sake-clutching raccoon dogs brought prosperity. — Norma Meyer, Orange County Register, 15 May 2024 Also try: Takahashi (10324 S.E. Holgate Blvd.), chef Seiji Takahashi (of Sushi Takahashi 1 and 2 fame)’s original restaurant, is under new ownership, but the room remains charmingly cluttered with lanterns, tanuki statues and origami cranes. — oregonlive, 17 Feb. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Japanese, raccoon dog

First Known Use

circa 1929, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tanuki was circa 1929

Rhymes for tanuki

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Browse Nearby Words

tantrum
tanuki
tan vat
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Cite this Entry

“Tanuki.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tanuki. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tanuki

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