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

In her misfortune, the feisty raccoon was actually incredibly lucky. — Margherita Bassi, Popular Science, 7 Nov. 2026

Their presence helps discourage raccoons from raiding the wood storks’ nests, giving the birds a better chance of successfully raising their young. — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2026

But the possibility that these new tracks were augmented by AI saps the novelty, in the same way that an AI video of a raccoon climbing a string of Christmas lights isn’t cute in the slightest. — Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2026

The Trogon is a rare find, but the park also hosts 200 to 500 resident and migratory species, along with the coatimundi, a sleek cousin of the raccoon. — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 2 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Virginia Algonquian raugroughcun, arocoun

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing raccoon

• raccoon dog

Rhymes for raccoon

• attune
• baboon
• balloon
• bassoon
• buffoon
• cartoon
• cocoon
• festoon
• gaboon
• harpoon
• immune
• impugn

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"