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 agouti “turns out to have one of the best olfactory repertoires of any mammal, for totally unknown reasons,” Dr. Karlsson said.
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
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
A thought flashed across the mind of Godfrey, and it was correct: it was that these hens, agouties, goats, and sheep had belonged to the Dream.
From Godfrey Morgan A Californian Mystery by Jules Verne
It was only the goats and sheep and agouties.
From Godfrey Morgan A Californian Mystery by Jules Verne
Game of all sorts in consequence abounded at the Chimneys, capybaras, pigeons, agouties, grouse, etc.
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
The thieving rodents would steal and cache repeatedly, carrying the prized seed ever farther from its original location to evade other interested agoutis.
From Scientific American ● Jul. 16, 2012
To chase the agoutis had ceased to be an object worthy of his efforts; the kids took their turn, afterwards the goats.
From The Solitary of Juan Fernandez, or the Real Robinson Crusoe by Joseph Xavier Saintine
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
