peccary

noun

pec·​ca·​ry ˈpe-kə-rē How to pronounce peccary (audio)
plural peccaries
: any of several largely nocturnal gregarious American mammals resembling the related pigs: such as
a
: a grizzled animal (Dicotyles tajacu) with an indistinct white collar
b
: a blackish animal (Tayassu pecari) with a whitish mouth region

Illustration of peccary

Illustration of peccary

Examples of peccary 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.
Jaguars also eat peccaries, capybaras, pacas, agoutis, deer, opossum, rabbits, armadillos, caimans, turtles and livestock, depending on their habitat. Zach Bradshaw, The Arizona Republic, 17 Dec. 2024 The expansion of the records program extends only to the collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), which is native to the Southwest and commonly called javelina. Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 11 Dec. 2024 Approval of the collared peccary as a designated trophy species was recommended by a working group that included wildlife managers from New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and Mexico along with representatives of other conservation groups. Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 11 Dec. 2024 As of 2021—after more than a quarter century of effort and the reintroduction of foundational species such as giant anteaters, pampa deer, collared peccaries, and others—Rewilding Argentina has released nine jaguars, marking the first time this top predator was seen in the Iberá area in 70 years. Karen Catchpole, TIME, 25 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for peccary 

Word History

Etymology

of Cariban origin; akin to Suriname Carib paki:ra peccary

First Known Use

1697, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of peccary was in 1697

Dictionary Entries Near peccary

Cite this Entry

“Peccary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peccary. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

peccary

noun
pec·​ca·​ry ˈpek-ə-rē How to pronounce peccary (audio)
plural peccaries
: either of two American mammals of warm regions that gather in herds, are active usually at night, and look like but are much smaller than the related pigs

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