puma

noun

plural pumas also puma
Synonyms of pumanext
: cougar sense 1
also : the fur or pelt of a cougar

Examples of puma in a Sentence

adult pumas can sometimes weigh over 200 pounds
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Animal rights activists questioned whether the wolf could survive outside the zoo and also worried it might be killed during capture, something that happened to a puma that escaped from the same zoo in 2018. ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026 In 2021, after 17 years of surveys, the project detected pumas in the range for the first time, and there have been multiple sightings since. Tom Page, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2026 Large cats including lions, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, ocelots, jaguarundis, pumas, lynxes, and bobcats are banned from private ownership, according to Connecticut state statutes. Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2026 Panthers are black, pumas are brown, and tigers are? Kory Stamper, Longreads, 19 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for puma

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Quechua

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of puma was in 1774

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Puma.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puma. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

puma

noun
pu·​ma ˈp(y)ü-mə How to pronounce puma (audio)
plural pumas also puma
: cougar

More from Merriam-Webster on puma

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster