guanaco

American  

[gwah-nah-koh] / gwɑˈnɑ koʊ /

noun

plural

guanacos

1. a wild South American ruminant, Lama guanicoe, of which the llama and alpaca are believed to be domesticated varieties: related to the camels.

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guanaco British  

/ ɡwɑːˈnɑːkəʊ /

noun

1. a cud-chewing South American artiodactyl mammal, Lama guanicoe, closely related to the domesticated llama: family Camelidae

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Etymology

Origin of guanaco

1595–1605; < Spanish < Quechua wanaku

Compare meaning

How does guanaco compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• guanaco vs. llama

Example Sentences

The Tehuelche were innovators, too: Outsiders marveled at their bolas, weighted rope snares they swung and launched from horseback to hunt llamalike guanaco and flightless rhea birds.

From Science Magazine • Dec. 7, 2023

Seven Worlds, One Planet A new episode of this nature series travels to South America, where pumas in the Andes stalk a llama-like creature called the guanaco and rarely seen bears forage for mini avocados.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 31, 2020

A guanaco is a bit like a llama.

From The Guardian • Aug. 12, 2012

An armored truck spraying water from mounted cannons — called a guanaco, for the llamalike Andean animal that spits — rolled toward the .

From New York Times • Apr. 5, 2012

He wore a single guanaco or sealskin across his shoulders, holding it in place by thongs that crossed his breast.

From The Gold Diggings of Cape Horn A Study of Life in Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia by Spears, John R.