Illustration of jaguar
plural jaguars also 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
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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
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To contribute to the region’s conservation efforts, join expert biologists and vets to track the elusive jaguar or monitor macaws and their nesting sites.
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Emmanuel Burgio, Travel + Leisure, 3 Aug. 2025
Varsity jackets bear the Maroon Tiger of Morehouse and the jaguar of Spelman, not as mascots, but as heralds of intellectual fortitude.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 23 July 2025
The situation has the potential to turn violent at any second, even if the thieves insist their guns are only for protection against jaguars, but Tembé defuses it by reminding them that their actions are ultimately hurting themselves.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 10 July 2025
Bird-watch like there’s no tomorrow Big-deal wildlife sightings in Costa Rica, from humpback whales to jaguars, often overshadow the 850 different species of birds found here.
—AFAR Media, 8 July 2025
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Emmanuel Burgio, Travel + Leisure, 3 Aug. 2025
Varsity jackets bear the Maroon Tiger of Morehouse and the jaguar of Spelman, not as mascots, but as heralds of intellectual fortitude.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 23 July 2025
The situation has the potential to turn violent at any second, even if the thieves insist their guns are only for protection against jaguars, but Tembé defuses it by reminding them that their actions are ultimately hurting themselves.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 10 July 2025
Bird-watch like there’s no tomorrow Big-deal wildlife sightings in Costa Rica, from humpback whales to jaguars, often overshadow the 850 different species of birds found here.
—AFAR Media, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for jaguar
Cite this Entry
“Jaguar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jaguar. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
jaguar
noun
jag·uar
ˈjag(-yə)-ˌwär 
: a large yellowish brown black-spotted cat of tropical America that is larger and has a more solid build than the leopard
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