guanaco

noun

gua·​na·​co gwə-ˈnä-(ˌ)kō 

plural guanacos also guanaco

: a long-necked South American mammal (Lama guanicoe) of dry, open country that has a soft, thick fawn-colored coat, is related to the camel but lacks a dorsal hump, and is considered to be the ancestor of the domesticated llama compare alpaca, llama

Illustration of guanaco

Examples of guanaco in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The property, which sits in East Atlanta in the midst of the South’s largest city, is only 3.5 acres, but it’s loaded with four alpacas, four llamas, and two guanacos. —Graham Averill, Outside Online, 19 Aug. 2024

In fact, the conservation work has been so successful that thousands of guanacos have returned to the valley and with the guanacos come the pumas, the region’s apex predator. —Christine Chitnis, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Aug. 2024

In South America, guanacos – relatives of wild camels– range from sea level to the snow line in the Andes and attempt to interbreed with domestic llamas. —Discover Magazine, 5 July 2024

Ancient people also painted human silhouettes and faces, as well as animal silhouettes, featuring large flightless birds called rheas and guanacos, close relatives of llamas. —Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Quechua wanaku

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

guanaco

noun

gua·​na·​co gwə-ˈnäk-ō 

plural guanacos

: a South American mammal that has a soft thick light grayish brown coat and is related to the camels but lacks a hump