alpaca

noun

al·paca al-ˈpa-kə

: a domesticated mammal (Vicugna pacos synonym Lama pacos) especially of Peru that is probably descended from the vicuña

: wool of the alpaca

b(1)

: a thin cloth made of or containing this wool

(2)

: a rayon or cotton imitation of this cloth

Examples of alpaca in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Besides the 10 remaining bison, the park is home to a horse, two donkeys, two mule deer, tortoises, alpacas, a llama, pigs, rabbits, chickens, geese, ducks, swans, an emu and a cockatoo. —

Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2023 The textiles themselves are soft too, with plenty of alpaca, sheepskin, and cashmere. —

Alyssa Bird, ELLE Decor, 7 Sep. 2023 On the trek, guests will also stop in at a small alpaca farm and weaving center to learn the differences between llamas, alpacas, guanacos, and vicuñas, and get to watch women use traditional methods to dye dyeing wool and weave the wool. —

Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 31 Aug. 2023 Wooly mammoths:Climate change, not humans, was reason woolly mammoths went extinct, research suggests According to the Guardian, Vow has used DNA from 50 animal species so far, including a variety of fish, alpaca, buffalo, crocodile, kangaroo and peacocks, with energy from renewable sources. —

Camille Fine, USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2023 In the second photo, the then-mom-to-be posed with alpacas with her baby bump. —

Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 8 June 2023 The fair showcases an array of farm animals from across the state, including beef and dairy cattle, pygmy and angora goats, and alpaca and llamas. —

NBC News, 15 July 2023 The wolves’ spree continues, claiming the lives of more than two dozen sheep and three alpacas—the survival of predators or a bloody rampage. —

Sebastian Mulder, The New Yorker, 12 July 2023 Located on the second floor of a Colonial building, the restaurant offers haute Andean cuisine (alpaca carpaccio, quinoa with duck) in an airy, bright, and well-lit space. —

Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'alpaca.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.