hutia

noun

hu·​tia

variants or less commonly jutia

(h)üˈtēə

plural -s

: any of several large edible hystricomorph rodents that constitute two West Indian genera (Capromys and Geocapromys) and a related South American genus (Procapromys), are closely related to the coypus, and are now extinct over much of their range

Word History

Etymology

Spanish hutía & American Spanish jutía, from Taino hutía

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