coati

American  

[koh-ah-tee] / koʊˈɑ ti /

noun

plural

coatis

1. a diurnal omnivore related to the raccoon, having an elongated body, a long, ringed, nonprehensile tail, and a slender, flexible snout: the two genera are Nasua, found in the southwestern U.S. and southward to Uruguay, and Nasuella, the mountain coatis of Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador.

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coati British  

/ kəʊˈɑːtɪ, kəʊˌɑːtɪˈmʌndɪ /

noun

1. any omnivorous mammal of the genera Nasua and Nasuella, of Central and South America: family Procyonidae, order Carnivora (carnivores). They are related to but larger than the raccoons, having a long flexible snout and a brindled coat

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Etymology

Origin of coati

First recorded in 1670–80; from Portuguese, from Tupi, equivalent to cua “belt” + ti, tim “nose”

Example Sentences

“These are coatis,” Mrs. Brisbane said, reading from the letter.

From Literature

The state estimates property damage from such wrecks at nearly $20 million annually, while unbroken roads also fracture habitats for monitored species of concern including the ornate box turtle, white-nosed coati and gila monster.

From Seattle Times

“We’ve seen a lot of dead deer, dead tapirs, dead monkeys, dead coati,” a cousin of North American raccoons.

From Reuters

Authorities say the woman’s husband shot and killed the coati.

From Washington Times

The annual weigh-in of animals, also including Asiatic lions, South African porcupines and South American coatis, will take a week to complete.

From Reuters