jaguar

noun

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jag·uar | \ ˈja-ˌgwär

, -gyə-ˌwär

, -gwər; dialectal -gwī(-ə)r, especially British ˈja-gyə-wər \

plural jaguars also jaguar

Definition of jaguar

: a large cat (Panthera onca) chiefly of Central and South America that is larger and stockier than the leopard and is brownish yellow or buff with black spots

Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about jaguar

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Did You Know?

The jaguar is the largest New World cat. It was once found in wooded regions from the U.S.-Mexican border south to Patagonia, Currently, the jaguar survives, in reduced numbers, only in remote areas of Central and South America; the largest known population is in the Amazon rain forest. The male is 5.5-9.0 ft. (1.7-2.7 m) long, including the tail, which measures 23-35-in. (60-90-cm) long, and weighs 220-350 lbs. (100-160 kg). The coat is typically orange-tan with black spots arranged in rosettes with a black spot in the center. A solitary predator, the jaguar usually hunts rodents, deer, birds, and fish; it will also take cattle, horses, and dogs.

Examples of jaguar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But the results are masks covered in brilliant images, like the sharp, triangular-toothed, bright-orange jaguar. — Ryan Lenora Brown, The Christian Science Monitor, "Face masks unleash creativity: ‘You can be part of the bigger story’," 3 June 2020 The lions, tigers, cheetahs, snow leopards and jaguars are often given cardboard boxes to shred as enrichment but that stopped because of questions about how long coronavirus might remain on cardboard. — Meg Jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "It's 'a little eerie': Milwaukee Zoo animals don't seem to mind peace and quiet during shutdown," 12 May 2020 Indy Prize: Face-to-face with a jaguar: This Indy Prize finalist grew to love animals at an early age Earle's career of ocean exploration has been extensive. — London Gibson, Indianapolis Star, "Walking untethered along the ocean floor: Indy Prize finalist feels a connection with marine life," 8 May 2020 In his first scene, Karamakate is drawing what looks like a jaguar on a large rock by a river, wearing a loincloth and a necklace made of crocodile teeth. — Camila Osorio, The New Yorker, "The Death of Antonio Bolívar, an Indigenous Elder in the Amazon Rainforest," 27 May 2020 Their home is guarded by two mastiffs, and jaguars and tigers frequently roam around their eight-acre yard. — Washington Post, "Get our Coronavirus Updates newsletter," 9 May 2020 By this point, the animal cast numbered 132 lions, tigers, leopards, cougars, and jaguars, as well as a 10,000-pound bull elephant named Timbo, which Marshall and Hedren acquired from an animal park in Canada. — Clark Collis, EW.com, "Hollywood's real Tiger King: Insane big cat movie Roar getting VOD rerelease," 7 Apr. 2020 In Colombia, poachers have been killing more jaguars, pumas, and ocelots, Newsweek reports. — Hanna Kozlowska, Quartz, "Poachers are taking advantage of the pandemic to kill more animals," 26 Apr. 2020 More than a century ago, the delta spread across 1.9 million acres in a watery oasis of wetlands, riparian forests and marshes that teemed with fish, birds, beavers, deer, bobcats and jaguars. — Ian James, AZCentral.com, "How a trickle of water is breathing life into the parched Colorado River Delta," 19 Apr. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'jaguar.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.