capybara

noun

cap·​y·​bara ˌka-pi-ˈber-ə How to pronounce capybara (audio)
-ˈba-rə,
-ˈbär-ə How to pronounce capybara (audio)
: a tailless semiaquatic South and Central American rodent (Hydrochaerus hydrochaeris) often exceeding four feet (1.2 meters) in length

Illustration of capybara

Illustration of capybara

Examples of capybara in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The capybara young are at the San Diego Zoo’s Elephant Odyssey, alongside the Baird’s tapir. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 July 2023 Ask about their algorithms Is your teen spending down time watching videos of capybaras or weather disasters? Heather Kelly, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2024 The zoo also used the viral post to ask their over 1 million followers for name ideas for the capybara. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 10 Jan. 2024 The cat-size dragonfly, the double-decker-bus-size rhino, the capybara that could dunk a basketball? Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2023 Hermetically sealed in a Mulholland mansion with a herd of capybara and king cobras? Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2023 The capybara is not currently classified as an endangered species, although it is threatened by deforestation, habitat destruction and poaching. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 July 2023 Jaguars and caimans, for example, love snacking on capybaras. Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 22 Nov. 2023 Ecologists have been concerned that the highly territorial animals, which can weigh up to 3 tonnes, are altering the composition of Colombia’s main river with their excrement, and are outcompeting other species, such as the capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), for habitat and resources. Nature Magazine, Scientific American, 13 Nov. 2023

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

Word History

Etymology

Portuguese capibara, capivara, alteration of capiiuara, from Tupi kapiʔiwara, from kapíʔi grass, brush + -wara eater

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of capybara was in 1774

Dictionary Entries Near capybara

Cite this Entry

“Capybara.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capybara. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

capybara

noun
cap·​y·​bara ˌkap-i-ˈbar-ə How to pronounce capybara (audio) -ˈbär- How to pronounce capybara (audio)
: a tailless South American rodent often exceeding four feet (1.2 meters) in length that is often found in or near water

More from Merriam-Webster on capybara

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