cottontail
noun
cot·ton·tail
ˈkä-tᵊn-ˌtāl 
: any of several rather small North American rabbits (genus Sylvilagus) sandy to grayish brown in color with a white-tufted underside of the tail
Examples of cottontail in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Marsh rabbits, cottontail rabbits and foxes have effectively disappeared, a 2015 study found.
—
Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2025
According to Joseph Lautenbach, a wildlife biologist with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the state has seen a mostly steady increase in its native rabbit species, the eastern cottontail, over the past 10 years.
—Emma Wozniak, The Enquirer, 31 July 2025
The list is long, but the most common local wild species includes bobcats, coyotes, raccoons, deer, mountain lions, skunks, foxes, cottontail rabbits and opossums.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2025
Take a seat for a round-the-clock show: the ruffed grouse, cottontail rabbits, waterfowl and occasional muskrats that wander about, lured by the lake.
—R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
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Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2025
According to Joseph Lautenbach, a wildlife biologist with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the state has seen a mostly steady increase in its native rabbit species, the eastern cottontail, over the past 10 years.
—Emma Wozniak, The Enquirer, 31 July 2025
The list is long, but the most common local wild species includes bobcats, coyotes, raccoons, deer, mountain lions, skunks, foxes, cottontail rabbits and opossums.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2025
Take a seat for a round-the-clock show: the ruffed grouse, cottontail rabbits, waterfowl and occasional muskrats that wander about, lured by the lake.
—R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cottontail
Cite this Entry
“Cottontail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cottontail. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cottontail
noun
cot·ton·tail
ˈkät-ᵊn-ˌtāl
: any of several small brownish gray rabbits with a fluffy tail that is white on the underside
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