raccoon

noun

rac·​coon ra-ˈkün 

also rə-

variants or less commonly racoon

plural raccoon or raccoons also racoon or racoons

1

a

: a small nocturnal carnivore (Procyon lotor) of North America that is chiefly gray, has a black mask and bushy ringed tail, lives chiefly in trees, and has a varied diet including small animals, fruits, and nuts

b

: the pelt of this animal

2

: any of several animals resembling or related to the raccoon

Illustration of raccoon

• raccoon 1a

Examples of raccoon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Areas of South Florida where the snakes have become dominant have seen a 90% to 99% decrease in sightings of mammal such as rabbits, opossums and raccoons. —Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2026

Even in the dead of winter, breeding season starts for gray foxes, red foxes, coyotes, bobcats, raccoons and squirrels. —Charles Seabrook, AJC.com, 3 Jan. 2026

No one wants to see that out or pick it up when raccoons knock it over. —Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2026

Rocky the raccoon's drunk bender ends near toilet An inebriated raccoon (Rocky) was definitely famous for more than 15 minutes after his bender at a Virginia liquor store over Thanksgiving weekend. —Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 27 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Virginia Algonquian raugroughcun, arocoun

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing raccoon

• raccoon dog

Rhymes for raccoon

• attune
• baboon
• balloon
• bassoon
• buffoon
• cartoon
• cocoon
• festoon
• gaboon
• harpoon
• immune
• impugn

Kids Definition

raccoon

noun

rac·​coon

variants also racoon

ra-ˈkün

plural raccoon or raccoons also racoon or racoons

: a small North American mammal that is mostly gray with a black mask, has a bushy ringed tail, lives chiefly in trees and is active at night, and eats a varied diet including small animals, fruits, eggs, and insects

also : the pelt of a raccoon

Etymology

Virginia Algonquian raugroughcoon, arocoun "racoon"