Illustration of pangolin
pangolin
noun
pan·go·lin
ˈpaŋ-gə-lən 
ˈpan-
: any of a family (Manidae of the order Pholidota) of Asian and African toothless mammals having the body covered dorsally with large imbricated horny scales
called also scaly anteater
Examples of pangolin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Like Temminck’s pangolin or coequal branches of government, retirement is in danger of going extinct.
—
Joshua Rivera, Vanity Fair, 8 June 2026
The African Pangolin Working Group (APWG) shared Stevie's story in a social media post on Sunday, June 7, as part of a milestone announcement that the organization has now facilitated the release of 85 pangolins back into the wild since 2016.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 8 June 2026
All subspecies of pangolins are protected under CITES.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
The World Wildlife Fund estimates that over a million pangolins were taken from the wild over the last decade, including those that were never intercepted.
—ABC News, 20 Feb. 2026
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Joshua Rivera, Vanity Fair, 8 June 2026
The African Pangolin Working Group (APWG) shared Stevie's story in a social media post on Sunday, June 7, as part of a milestone announcement that the organization has now facilitated the release of 85 pangolins back into the wild since 2016.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 8 June 2026
All subspecies of pangolins are protected under CITES.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
The World Wildlife Fund estimates that over a million pangolins were taken from the wild over the last decade, including those that were never intercepted.
—ABC News, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pangolin
Cite this Entry
“Pangolin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pangolin. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pangolin
noun
pan·go·lin
ˈpaŋ-gə-lən
ˈpan-
: any of several Asian and African toothless mammals having the body covered with large overlapping horny scales
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