raccoon — a grayish-brown North American mammal with a foxlike face and a ringed tail
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a grayish-brown North American mammal with a foxlike face and a ringed tail
Pronunciation (IPA): /ræˈkun/
Example Sentences
- The raccoon raided our garbage can again last night.
- With its bandit mask, the raccoon looked guilty even before stealing the cat food.
- The raccoon's tiny hands amazed the children at the zoo.
raccoon
NOUN[/ræˈkun/]
a grayish-brown North American mammal with a foxlike face and a ringed tail
Masked bandit with ringed tail
A raccoon sees its cartoon reflection in the lagoon!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word raccoon derives from the Algonquian language, specifically from the form 'aroughcun', which literally means 'the animal that scratches with its hands' or 'scratcher'. European settlers adopted this Native American term into English, eventually standardizing it as 'raccoon'.
Breakdown
aroughcun (Algonquian: 'hand-scratcher') → raccoon. The original Algonquian root referred to the animal's characteristic habit of using its paws to manipulate and scratch objects while foraging.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The raccoon raided our garbage can again last night.”
“With its bandit mask, the raccoon looked guilty even before stealing the cat food.”
“The raccoon's tiny hands amazed the children at the zoo.”
“My neighbor thinks a raccoon is breaking into his house, but it's probably just his mother-in-law.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.