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 the book, Oppenheimer noted a family legend that Kennedy was fascinated by bugs as an infant; by the age of nine, the book said, Kennedy had a pet collection that included raccoons, rats, a horse, a calf, lizards, chickens, and snakes. —Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 16 Apr. 2026

In addition to serving as a living mulch, the spiny hairs on squash leaves are thought to deter raccoons from stealing your sweet corn. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026

In the United States, dogs can get rabies if they are exposed to infected bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes. —The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026

Come fall, Elgin High School students could be rallying before the big game with a maroon raccoon as their team mascot. —Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 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"