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

Besides cattle, bird flu has been detected in over 200 other mammals—like seals, raccoons and bears—in the U.S. since 2022. —Arianna Johnson, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2024

The raccoon walked around and climbed up on Ptaszenski’s leg before wandering off about. —Jenna Hecker, USA TODAY, 21 June 2024

Park staff discovered several dead foxes and received reports of abnormal animal behavior in foxes and raccoons, according to the release. —Abigail Celaya, The Arizona Republic, 12 June 2024

Today, most rabies cases in the U.S. involve wildlife like bats, raccoons and skunks. —Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 1 Aug. 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"