ocelot
Americannoun
-
ocelots
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of ocelot
1765–75; < French, apparently arbitrary shortening of Nahuatl tlālōcēlōtl ocelot, equivalent to tlāl ( li ) earth, land + ōcēlōtl jaguar
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Vocabulary lists containing ocelot
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English Words Derived from Nahuatl
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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Akers would like to see all hermit crabs legally reclassified as exotic pets, like an alligator or an ocelot, so their sale and ownership could be regulated.
From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2025
There’s a new ocelot kitten at the Los Angeles Zoo, delighting zookeepers and visitors.
From New York Times ● Jan. 17, 2024
Visitors to the Los Angeles Zoo will soon have the chance to catch a glimpse of a new ocelot kitten, which zoo officials said is almost big enough to enter the animal’s public habitat.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 12, 2023
“It’s not one of our native big cat species, mountain lion, bobcat, ocelot or jaguar. It’s pretty big for a house cat,” Arizona Game and Fish Department spokesman Tom Cadden told The Arizona Republic Wednesday.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 16, 2023
And elegance of life;” but during the journey or the foray, a cloak, composed of the prepared skin of the lion, the leopard, or the ocelot, is thrown over the shoulder of the better classes.
From The Highlands of Ethiopia by William Cornwallis Harris
But just an hour outside Quito lies the Andean Chocó, a vast cloud forest teeming with exotic birds, pumas, ocelots and giant anteaters—and you no longer need to be an intrepid bushwhacker to enjoy it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 20, 2025
Birds sing among dense copses of mesquite trees; flowers hang heavily from bushes; ocelots and jaguars pass through.
From Slate ● May 26, 2025
Eventually they spotted ocelots and golden eagles, six different species of rattlesnake and a jaguar.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 18, 2023
Earlier this year, Reuters reported for the first time that scientists were finding mammals, from titi monkeys to ocelots, showing signs of mercury contamination near a Peruvian gold mining hotspot.
From Reuters ● Nov. 1, 2023
Sleepiness and slothfulness keep it out of harm’s way, away from the notice of jaguars, ocelots, harpy eagles and anacondas.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
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