coati

noun

co·​a·​ti kə-ˈwä-tē How to pronounce coati (audio)
kō-ˈä-,
kwä-ˈtē How to pronounce coati (audio)
1
: either of two tropical American mammals (Nasua nasua and N. narica) related to the raccoon but with a longer body and tail and a long flexible snout
2

Illustration of coati

Illustration of coati

Examples of coati in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And here was the print of a coati. Guest, Discover Magazine, 16 June 2015 Skunk, bear, and coati walk these trails along the ditch. Citizen Science Salon, Discover Magazine, 30 Mar. 2015 And for Johnny the coati, a distant relative of the racoon, that means enticing him with a spoonful of honey inside of a plastic container, prompting him to stick his head inside while a vet administers the vaccine. San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Aug. 2021 Larissa Pratta Campos, a veterinary student, has helped treat wild boar, marsh deer, birds, primates and a raccoon-like creature called a coati. Scott Reinhard, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2020 Many, like the coati—a raccoon relative—are found wandering along the roadside, dehydrated and exhausted. Jill Langlois, National Geographic, 2 Oct. 2020 Black bears, ocelots, pronghorn and coati call the area home. Erin Stone, azcentral, 13 May 2020 This marks the second year in a row that Bella and Rose have delivered a total of six coati kits, Littman said. John Sowell, idahostatesman, 29 June 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coati.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Portuguese quati, coati, from Tupi kwáti

First Known Use

1676, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of coati was in 1676

Dictionary Entries Near coati

Cite this Entry

“Coati.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coati. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

coati

noun
co·​ati
kə-ˈwät-ē,
kwä-ˈtē
: a tropical American mammal related to the raccoon but with a longer body and tail and a long flexible snout

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