jaguar

noun

jag·​uar ˈja-ˌgwär  -gyə-ˌwär 

-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

Did you know?

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

But that day, in particular, spent watching jaguar brothers wrestle instead of stressing? —Rachel Manteuffel, Washington Post, 12 June 2024

Among the nearly 400 species at the zoo, visitors can see: Asian elephants Rhinoceros Giraffes Zebras Big cats like lions, cheetahs, jaguars. —Shelby Slade, The Arizona Republic, 11 June 2024

The two of them continued to move like jaguars in the night, leaving me to fight my way back alone. —Eric Church, Field & Stream, 5 June 2024

Milwaukee County Zoo animals that died in 2023 On Feb. 5, Stella, a 19-year-old female jaguar, was humanely euthanized. —Amy Schwabe, Journal Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Portuguese, from Tupi jawára large carnivore

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined above

Kids 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