jaguar

noun

jag·​uar ˈja-ˌgwär  -gyə-ˌwär 

-gwər;

dialectal -gwī(-ə)r

especially British ˈja-gyə-wər

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

Illustration of jaguar

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

Much of the traffic crossing the border in the valley and adjacent mountains is just wildlife, like three of the jaguars spotted in Arizona in the last decade: El Jefe, Yo'ko, and O:ṣhad Ñu:kudam — named by students and tribal members of the Tohono O’odham Nation. —Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 20 Nov. 2025

Only accessible by boat or plane, the park consists of canals, rainforests, and lagoons that are home to manatees, jaguars, and countless other wildlife species. —Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 6 Nov. 2025

Meet Filly the jaguar, who moved to the Milwaukee County Zoo in January of this year and has settled in well, zookeepers say. —Steven Martinez, jsonline.com, 28 Oct. 2025

Among the first to enjoy their jack-o’-lanterns filled with appropriate treats were the big cat residents of the zoo, with the bobcat Bernice stalking her ghoulish prey while Ziggy, a black jaguar, tore into his treat. —Heather McRea, Oc Register, 27 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Portuguese, from Tupi jawára large carnivore

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for jaguar

• adar
• afar
• ajar
• alar
• ansar
• bazaar
• bizarre
• boxcar
• boyar
• bulbar
• cachar
• cigar

Kids 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