panda

noun

pan·​da ˈpan-də 

1

: red panda

2

: a large black-and-white mammal (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) of chiefly central China that feeds primarily on bamboo shoots and is now usually classified with the bears (family Ursidae)

called also giant panda

Illustration of panda

• A red panda
• B panda 2

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Xin Xin, the last panda in Latin America, is not your average bear. Arkansas Online, 26 Nov. 2022

The 18-year-old male panda had grown increasingly frail and suffered a series epileptic seizures last week, zoo officials said at a news conference, giving no immediate cause of death. Leo Sands, Washington Post, 20 Nov. 2022

Xin Xin, the last panda in Latin America, is not your average bear. Fabiola SÁnchez, ajc, 17 Nov. 2022

But Agriarctos nikolovi was probably the last panda to live in Europe. Tom Metcalfe, NBC News, 1 Aug. 2022

Social media users are claiming the panda's death was caused by the COVID-19 vaccine. Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2022

City residents spotted the small panda wandering through DC’s trendy Adams Morgan neighborhood. Zoe Sottile, CNN, 22 Oct. 2022

In a sense, this makes the evolution of the panda's thumb all the more impressive. Riley Black, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2022

Doing so requires significant deception, along with dubious fundraising methods, with Meili busting out her inner panda at a frenemy’s birthday party for cash. Michael Phillips, chicagotribune.com, 8 Mar. 2022

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Word History

Etymology

French, perhaps from a language of the southeast Himalayas

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing panda

• giant panda
• red panda
• panda car
• lesser panda

• giant panda
• red panda
• panda car
• lesser panda

Kids Definition

panda

noun

pan·​da ˈpan-də 

1

: red panda

2

: a large black and white mammal of chiefly central China that feeds primarily on bamboo shoots and is now usually considered to be closely related to the bears

called also giant panda