Illustration of ocelot
ocelot
noun
oce·lot
ˈä-sə-ˌlät 
ˈō-
ˈō-
: a medium-sized American wildcat (Leopardus pardalis synonym Felis pardalis) that ranges from Texas to northern Argentina and has a tawny-yellow or grayish coat dotted and striped with black
Examples of ocelot in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Coats of mink, lynx, wolf, sable and ocelot covered the walls of his store, a branch of fashion house Pajaro, one of several high-end fur boutiques in town.
—
ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
It is surrounded by turtle-nesting beaches, protected mangrove forests, sand dunes and forest corridors that serve as habitat for jaguars and ocelots.
—Natalie Leticia Gallón, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
Similar scenarios are playing out across the Southwest, where the 1,954-mile border cuts through the habitat of more than 80 threatened and endangered species — from ocelots in Texas to Mexican gray wolves in New Mexico and Arizona, according to the Sierra Club.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
This stretch of green sustains birds, frogs, snakes and ocelots.
—Mark Olalde, ProPublica, 1 Dec. 2025
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ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
It is surrounded by turtle-nesting beaches, protected mangrove forests, sand dunes and forest corridors that serve as habitat for jaguars and ocelots.
—Natalie Leticia Gallón, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
Similar scenarios are playing out across the Southwest, where the 1,954-mile border cuts through the habitat of more than 80 threatened and endangered species — from ocelots in Texas to Mexican gray wolves in New Mexico and Arizona, according to the Sierra Club.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
This stretch of green sustains birds, frogs, snakes and ocelots.
—Mark Olalde, ProPublica, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ocelot
Cite this Entry
“Ocelot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ocelot. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ocelot
noun
oce·lot
ˈäs-ə-ˌlät
ˈō-sə-
ˈō-sə-
: a medium-sized American wildcat that is found from Texas to northern Argentina and has a tawny yellow or grayish coat marked with black
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