coypu

American  

[koi-poo] / ˈkɔɪ pu /

noun

plural

coypus,

plural

coypu

1. a large, South American, aquatic rodent, Myocastor (orMyopotamus ) coypus, yielding the fur nutria.

---

coypu British  

/ ˈkɔɪpuː /

noun

1. an aquatic South American hystricomorph rodent, Myocastor coypus, introduced into Europe: family Capromyidae. It resembles a small beaver with a ratlike tail and is bred in captivity for its soft grey underfur

2. the fur of this animal

---

Etymology

Origin of coypu

First recorded in 1785–95; from Latin American Spanish (Chile, Argentina) coipú, from Araucanian coipu

Example Sentences

While Luca Lorenz was photographing mute swans on an urban lake, a coypu photobombed his frame.

From BBC • Oct. 14, 2025

The animal, a coypu, was seen at Rozel by members of the public this week, the States said.

From BBC • Oct. 28, 2022

Farms stock many captive-bred animals, from civets to raccoon dogs and coypu, a large rodent, often living close to livestock such as pigs, chickens and ducks.

From Nature • May 17, 2020

They include greedy feral hogs, giant swamp rats called nutria or coypu, big aggressive Argentine lizards called tegus and swarms of hungry starlings that destroy the habitats of animals native to the United States.

From The Guardian • Jun. 16, 2014

We turn to the rivers, and we see no musk-rat or beaver, but the coypu and capybara, slightly altered varieties of the original bizcacha ancestor.

From Charles Darwin by Allen, Grant