jaguar

noun

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

Keep scrolling for more

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

In a brief but dramatic episode, two lions, two tigers, a jaguar and a bear were found to be missing from their enclosures in a zoo in western Germany on Friday, prompting a major search by police, the fire brigade, and veterinarians. — New York Times, BostonGlobe.com, "Zoo escape grips Germany," 1 June 2018 More: Meet Lucky, an elk whose dramatic birth story will melt your heart Inside Bearizona Canyonlands, a 6,000-square-foot restaurant with a 25-foot waterfall, overlooks the jaguar exhibit. — Scott Craven, azcentral, "Bearizona: Top things to do at drive-thru wildlife park in Williams," 12 July 2018 And that's not just because of the silhouette of a jaguar and her cub projected onto the ground next to the door at night. — Eric Bangeman, Ars Technica, "A sports car in SUV clothing: The Jaguar E-Pace reviewed," 28 June 2018 Juris used to be the menagerie caretaker there, but a jaguar attack had put him out of his right mind. — Chicago Tribune, chicagotribune.com, "Algren Award runner-up: "Am I Not Your Animal" by Matt Jones," 2 June 2018 Chinese fans will have to wait for a glimpse of the white jaguar, however — it's apparently being added in post. — Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, "Shanghai: Nicolas Cage Touts Next Film Project 'Primal'," 18 June 2018 The 12-day trip ended at Escandón, Mexico, in a green and unfamiliar land of jaguars, palm thatch huts and dark, Spanish-speaking natives. — John Maccormack, San Antonio Express-News, "Old American colony in Mexico clings to its past," 18 May 2018 Another tiger and a jaguar also were seized by authorities elsewhere in Mexico this month. — Don Sweeney, sacbee, "He had a smuggled tiger cub riding shotgun in his Camaro. Now he’s going to prison," 22 Feb. 2018 Unlike every other big cat in the world, jaguars went straight for the brain. — Chicago Tribune, chicagotribune.com, "Algren Award runner-up: "Am I Not Your Animal" by Matt Jones," 2 June 2018

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.