alpaca

[ al-pak-uh ]

noun

1. a domesticated South American ruminant, Lama pacos, having long, soft, silky fleece, related to the llama and believed to be a variety of the guanaco.
2. the fleece of this animal.
3. a fabric or yarn made of it.
4. a glossy, commonly black woolen fabric with cotton warp.
5. a crepe fabric made of rayon and acetate yarn in imitation of alpaca wool cloth.

alpaca

¹

/ ælˈpækə /

noun

1. a type of nickel silver used in jewellery

alpaca

²

/ ælˈpækə /

noun

1. a domesticated cud-chewing artiodactyl mammal, Lama pacos, closely related to the llama and native to South America: family Camelidae. Its dark shaggy hair is a source of wool
2. the cloth made from the wool of this animal
3. a glossy fabric simulating this, used for linings, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of alpaca¹

1805–15; < Spanish < Aymara allpaqa

Word History and Origins

Origin of alpaca¹

of uncertain origin

Origin of alpaca²

C18: via Spanish from Aymara allpaca

Example Sentences

At least 50,000 families in the Andean highlands rely on herding alpaca for income and to sustain themselves.

From The Daily Beast

Peruvians have been wearing knits made of alpaca fiber for centuries.

From The Daily Beast

And it was fur of every variety: brushed mohair, alpaca, ponyhair, and astrakhan.

From The Daily Beast

His right hand rested on his gavel, he thrust his left into the side pocket of his long alpaca coat.

From Project Gutenberg

One good moreen skirt did me, with a quilted alpaca for every-day wear and two white ones for best.

From Project Gutenberg

And black silk for Sundays, and a black merino or alpaca for week-days, made short and full, was her unvarying costume.

From Project Gutenberg

You may flit from brown merino to blue poplin, and from blue poplin to black alpaca, and be queen of all that is tiresome still.

From Project Gutenberg

I heard him trying to render the stock phrases of Low Church piety into French for the benefit of the stolid man in grey alpaca.

From Project Gutenberg