ocelot

noun

: a medium-sized American wildcat (Leopardus pardalis synonym Felis pardalis) that ranges from Texas to northern Argentina and has a tawny-yellow or grayish coat dotted and striped with black

Illustration of ocelot

Illustration of ocelot

Examples of ocelot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The ocelot, endangered and elusive, primarily inhabits the Rio Grande Valley with only a few populations in Texas. Tom Howarth follow, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024 The center noted the importance of keeping ocelot travel corridors and overall habitat unfractured. Austin Corona, The Arizona Republic, 3 Oct. 2024 Wandering cat:Trail cam confirms 'Lil' Jefe' the ocelot still roams the mountains of southeast Arizona Why are ocelots important to their ecosystems? Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 12 Aug. 2024 Once ocelot, dubbed ocelot #4, has been spotted 44 times since 2012. Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ocelot 

Word History

Etymology

French, from Nahuatl ōcēlōtl jaguar

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ocelot was in 1774

Dictionary Entries Near ocelot

Cite this Entry

“Ocelot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ocelot. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

ocelot

noun
: a medium-sized American wildcat that is found from Texas to northern Argentina and has a tawny yellow or grayish coat marked with black

More from Merriam-Webster on ocelot

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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