peccary

noun

pec·​ca·​ry ˈpe-kə-rē 

plural peccaries

: any of several largely nocturnal gregarious American mammals resembling the related pigs: such as

a

: a grizzled animal (Dicotyles tajacu) with an indistinct white collar

b

: a blackish animal (Tayassu pecari) with a whitish mouth region

Illustration of peccary

Examples of peccary in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Hand-sewn from the skin of the peccary—a pig-like mammal native to Central and South America—its refined details include three-point stitching at the back of the hand, cashmere lining, and pick stitch detailing along each seam. —Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 15 Dec. 2025

Creatures people see regularly include bobcats, gray foxes, mule deer, coyotes, reptiles (though not in winter), and collared peccaries, which resemble small pigs and travel around in little family groups eating cacti. —Carrie Dennis, Travel + Leisure, 4 Dec. 2025

The smelly, hairy animals with terrible eyesight are actually a type of mammal known as a collared peccary. —Shelby Slade, AZCentral.com, 24 July 2025

Jaguars also eat peccaries, capybaras, pacas, agoutis, deer, opossum, rabbits, armadillos, caimans, turtles and livestock, depending on their habitat. —Zach Bradshaw, The Arizona Republic, 17 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

of Cariban origin; akin to Suriname Carib paki:ra peccary

First Known Use

1697, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

peccary

noun

pec·​ca·​ry ˈpek-ə-rē 

plural peccaries

: either of two American mammals of warm regions that gather in herds, are active usually at night, and look like but are much smaller than the related pigs