raccoon

noun rac·coon \ ra-ˈkün also rə- \

variants: or less commonly racoon

Updated on: 19 Apr 2018

Definition of raccoon

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

See raccoon defined for English-language learners

See raccoon defined for kids

Recent Examples of raccoon from the Web

The turnbuckle keeps the wires taut, allows me to hang the feeders, and, if far enough from the tree and the eaves, keeps the raccoons and squirrels from getting to the feeders — at least so far.

— cathy m. rosenthal, San Antonio Express-News, "Readers share how they accommodate wildlife," 13 Apr. 2018
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources said the raccoons are likely infected with a disease called distemper, according to WKBN-TV.

— the washington post, OregonLive.com, "'Zombie Raccoon' disease does not affect humans, says ODFW," 5 Apr. 2018
According to animal experts, the raccoons likely are suffering from canine distemper.

— brandon patterson, Detroit Free Press, "'Zombie-like' raccoons are terrifying Ohio residents," 5 Apr. 2018
Unfortunately, the affected raccoons have to be captured and put down to prevent the disease from spreading further.

— melissa locker, Time, "'Zombie-Like' Raccoons Standing on Their Hind Legs Are Terrorizing a Town in Ohio," 5 Apr. 2018
The viral disease causes coughing, tremors and seizures and leads raccoons to lose their fear of humans.

— zoe szathmary, Fox News, "'Zombie' raccoons are terrifying Ohio residents in broad daylight with odd behavior," 4 Apr. 2018
But the raccoon kept coming – right up to his door.

— don sweeney, sacbee, "‘Zombie raccoons’ are freaking out residents with bizarre behavior, Ohio police say | The Sacramento Bee," 3 Apr. 2018
Just beware of squirrels and raccoons trying to cause trouble!) 2.

— adrienne holland, Country Living, "7 Things You Need to Know Before You Start Composting," 5 Mar. 2018
And last month, another rabid raccoon was reported to be in Fruitland Park, according to the Florida Department of Health in Lake County.

— jason ruiter, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Dog stops rabid raccoon from 'chasing' kids, marking fourth rabid case in Lake in seven months," 21 Mar. 2018

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

Illustration of raccoon

Origin and Etymology of raccoon

Virginia Algonquian raugroughcun, arocoun

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1608

See Words from the same year

Other Mammals Terms

dormouse, dugong, gibbon, grimalkin, sable, stoat, ungulate, vole

RACCOON Defined for English Language Learners

raccoon

noun

Definition of raccoon for English Language Learners

: a small North American animal with grayish-brown fur that has black fur around its eyes and black rings around its tail
: the fur of a raccoon

RACCOON Defined for Kids

raccoon

noun rac·coon \ ra-ˈkün \

Definition of raccoon for Students

: a small North American animal that is mostly gray with black around the eyes, has a bushy tail with black rings, is active mostly at night, and eats small animals, fruits, eggs, and insects

History for raccoon

Like hickory, moccasin, and tomahawk, the word raccoon comes from an American Indian language that was spoken around the Jamestown settlement in Virginia. The English colonist John Smith—famous for having his life spared by Pocahontas—first recorded the name for the unfamiliar animal as aroughcun, rarowcun, and raugroughcun.

Learn More about raccoon

See words that rhyme with raccoon Spanish Central: Translation of raccoon Nglish: Translation of raccoon for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about raccoon

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raccoon

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RACCOON Defined for English Language Learners

raccoon

Definition of raccoon for English Language Learners

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Definition of raccoon for English Language Learners

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