agouti
Americannoun
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agoutis,
plural
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agouties
plural
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any of several short-haired, short-eared, rabbitlike rodents of the genus Dasyprocta, of South and Central America and the West Indies, destructive to sugarcane.
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an irregularly barred pattern of the fur of certain rodents.
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an animal having fur of this pattern.
noun
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any hystricomorph rodent of the genus Dasyprocta, of Central and South America and the Caribbean: family Dasyproctidae. Agoutis are agile and long-legged, with hooflike claws, and are valued for their meat
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a pattern of fur in certain rodents, characterized by irregular stripes
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of agouti
First recorded in 1725–35; from French, from Spanish agutí, from Tupian agutí, agoutí, acutí
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.
See Examples For:
The nine-banded armadillo and Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth followed, while the Central American agouti came in fourth.
From New York Times ● Apr. 27, 2023
Thus, forest conservation efforts must target the tree, the agouti, and the jaguar.
From Slate ● Apr. 10, 2020
One key souvenir from that mating: a jackrabbit version of agouti, the gene that normally revs up its activity and turns snowshoe fur white in the winter, the researchers report today in Science.
From Science Magazine ● Jun. 21, 2018
Clair says the red-rumped agouti, like all the zoo’s animals, is under veterinary care and is properly vaccinated.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 22, 2018
The golden agouti, like the rhinoceros, was in need of companionship.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
Quite a stock of live animals, agouties, sheep, goats, poultry, &c., were stowed between decks, the material wants of the travellers were likewise provided for by numerous cases of preserved meats of the best brands.
From Godfrey Morgan A Californian Mystery by Jules Verne
There were a dozen agouties, five or six sheep, and as many goats, who were quietly browsing on the first vegetation on the very edge of the prairie.
From Godfrey Morgan A Californian Mystery by Jules Verne
Evidently, cocks and hens, and sheep, goats and agouties, driven by instinct, had resolved to go with them.
From Godfrey Morgan A Californian Mystery by Jules Verne
He kept on ahead, then, lost in thought, followed by Tartlet, who by his shouts and gestures, kept together the flock of sheep, agouties, goats, and poultry.
From Godfrey Morgan A Californian Mystery by Jules Verne
Notwithstanding the bad weather, the settlers renewed their stores of different things, stone-pine almonds, rhizomes, syrup from the maple-tree, for the vegetable part; rabbits from the warren, agouties, and kangaroos for the animal part.
From The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne
There are lots of parrots, lizards, hummingbirds and agoutis to enjoy too.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 16, 2018
Monkeys, agoutis, armadillos and sloths dove from the forest into the water.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 6, 2018
Deer, agoutis, magpie-jays, wasps, and monkeys frequent the bowls of water in front of their hut.
From The New Yorker ● Mar. 30, 2015
In the meantime, Hirsch believes we should remember agoutis.
From Scientific American ● Jul. 16, 2012
Armed with a stick, he had chased the agoutis; for want of agoutis, he had eaten rats.
From The Solitary of Juan Fernandez, or the Real Robinson Crusoe by Joseph Xavier Saintine
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