puma

noun pu·ma \ ˈpü-mə , ˈpyü- \

Updated on: 15 Apr 2018

Definition of puma

plural pumas also puma

: cougar 1; also : the fur or pelt of a cougar

See puma defined for English-language learners

See puma defined for kids

Examples of puma in a Sentence

adult pumas can sometimes weigh over 200 pounds

Recent Examples of puma from the Web

The main gang was rounded out with the boorish presence of Erlich Bachman (T.J. Miller), the landlord of the incubator house who, having sold one tiny startup to a VC firm, swaggers around the Valley like a puma prowling the foothills.

— rachel syme, The New Republic, "Silicon Valley Strikes Out Into New Territory," 30 Mar. 2018
Annual economic growth was less than 1.8% over her recent four-year tenure and only 1.6% last year, leaving what was once the puma of Latin America looking like a sick, aging house cat.

— mary anastasia o’grady, WSJ, "Fast Chilean Growth Can Happen Again," 11 Mar. 2018
There are lurid tales of prison inmates foraging for dead rats, pumas and lions wasting away in Venezuelan zoos, and mothers embarking on harrowing cross-border trips just to find medicine for their children.

— ishaan tharoor, Washington Post, "Venezuela’s Maduro hollows out his nation," 1 Mar. 2018
Cougars, also called mountain lions, pumas and catamounts, were native to Wisconsin but were extirpated through unregulated hunting in the 1800s.

— paul a. smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Cougar confirmed from Feb. 7 video in Washington County," 13 Feb. 2018
The Eastern cougar is also known as the ghost cat, catamount, puma, painter, panther, and mountain lion.

— mari a. schaefer, Philly.com, "Eastern cougars are now officially extinct," 25 Jan. 2018
Based on the feeding visits, the researchers were able to map complex social networks of puma reciprocity.

— douglas quenqua, New York Times, "Solitary Pumas Turn Out to Be Mountain Lions Who Lunch," 11 Oct. 2017
From early August to late September, the DNR confirmed seven pumas in the state, Weidenhoeft said.

— paul a. smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Smith: Watchers on lookout for female cougars in Wisconsin," 1 Nov. 2017
Last year, Smith showed that pumas spend less time feeding near neighborhoods, forcing them to kill more deer.

— liza gross, Smithsonian, "How Fear of Humans Can Ripple Through Food Webs and Reshape Landscapes," 11 July 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of puma

Spanish, from Quechua

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1774

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

puma Synonyms

Synonyms

cat-a-mountain, catamount, cougar, mountain lion, panther;

PUMA Defined for Kids

puma

noun pu·ma \ ˈpyü-mə , ˈpü- \

Definition of puma for Students

: cougar

Learn More about puma

See words that rhyme with puma Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for puma Spanish Central: Translation of puma Nglish: Translation of puma for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about puma

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up puma? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

puma

Definition of puma

Examples of puma in a Sentence

Recent Examples of puma from the Web

Origin and Etymology of puma

puma Synonyms

Synonyms

PUMA Defined for Kids

puma

Definition of puma for Students

Learn More about puma

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

mollycoddle

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

'Rather Than': Is It a Conjunction or Preposition?

‘Magnate’ and ‘Magnet’: Poles Apart

All the Hits

The Fossil Encased in "Case In Point"

Ask the Editors

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

Words of the Year: 1066

Literally

Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

Word Games

April 2018 Words of the Day Quiz

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

Spell It

Add Diction

'Rather Than': Is It a Conjunction or Preposition?

April 2018 Words of the Day Quiz

Trending: Janelle Monáe Out as 'Pansexual'

All the Hits

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

puma

Definition of puma

Examples of puma in a Sentence

Recent Examples of puma from the Web

Origin and Etymology of puma

puma Synonyms

Synonyms

PUMA Defined for Kids

puma

Definition of puma for Students

Learn More about puma

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

'Rather Than': Is It a Conjunction or Preposition?

April 2018 Words of the Day Quiz

Trending: Janelle Monáe Out as 'Pansexual'

All the Hits

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes