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.

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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

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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

In England and Wales, the coypu is one of 30 species of invasive non-native animal that are listed as of concern because of their invasiveness and ability to establish in several nations across Europe.

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

Of the Octodontidæ the best known is the coypu of the Andes, one of the largest of the rodents, and the ground-rat or ground-pig of western and southern Africa.

From Natural History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon by Sterndale, Robert Armitage