raccoon

noun

rac·​coon ra-ˈkün 

 also  rə-

variants or less commonly racoon

plural raccoon or raccoons also racoon or racoons

1

a

: a small nocturnal carnivore (Procyon lotor) of North America that is chiefly gray, has a black mask and bushy ringed tail, lives chiefly in trees, and has a varied diet including small animals, fruits, and nuts

b

: the pelt of this animal

2

: any of several animals resembling or related to the raccoon

Illustration of raccoon

• raccoon 1a

Examples of raccoon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Its recognition capabilities are also being expanded to include butterflies, bees, lizards, raccoons, squirrels, and even pets like cats and dogs, helping users know when the feeder may need to be relocated to avoid unwanted visitors. —Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 16 July 2024

The perpetrator may have been a raccoon or rat, though a wildlife camera never caught a culprit. —Dino Grandoni, Washington Post, 13 July 2024

The raccoon survived and remained briefly in the backyard before slowly dawdling away. —Steve Hartman, CBS News, 5 July 2024

The disease can be present in animals that appear healthy, typically spreading in wild mammals including raccoons, bats, skunks and foxes. —Evan Rosen, New York Daily News, 21 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Virginia Algonquian raugroughcun, arocoun

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing raccoon

• raccoon dog

Kids Definition

raccoon

noun

rac·​coon

variants also racoon

ra-ˈkün

plural raccoon or raccoons also racoon or racoons

: a small North American mammal that is mostly gray with a black mask, has a bushy ringed tail, lives chiefly in trees and is active at night, and eats a varied diet including small animals, fruits, eggs, and insects

also : the pelt of a raccoon

Etymology

Virginia Algonquian raugroughcoon, arocoun "racoon"