peccary

noun

Save Word

pec·ca·ry | \ ˈpe-kə-rē

plural peccaries

Definition of peccary

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

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

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

Examples of peccary in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web So does the white-lipped peccary, a shy pig that tends to disappear quickly when there’s hunting pressure. — New York Times, 11 Mar. 2021 The hogs are considered an invasive species, much larger than their south Texas cousin the peccary, or javelina. — Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2020 Giant plants that reduced us to the size of Lilliputians lined the path as our hike led us to a clearing where agoutis, flying wild turkeys and peccaries dazzled us with their acrobatics. — Dallas News, 20 Apr. 2020 Feral hogs, whose rooting in soil increases tree growth and attracts bird flocks, are replacing ecological work done by extinct giant peccaries in North America. — Asher Elbein, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2020 There are three species of peccaries in the Americas. — Karen Weintraub, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2020 The virus infects pigs, warthogs, European wild boar, American wild pigs, bush pigs, giant forest hogs and peccaries. — Washington Post, 29 Sep. 2019 A half-dozen javelinas, a kind of peccary, scampered in the thick undergrowth. — David Kelly, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2019 An animal caring for a sick, injured, or dead individual of its own kind is referred to as epimeletic behavior, and besides humans and great apes, it’s been documented in elephants, peccaries, and orcas, among other species. — National Geographic, 19 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'peccary.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.