ocelot

American  

[os-uh-lot, oh-suh-] / ˈɒs əˌlɒt, ˈoʊ sə- /

noun

1. a spotted leopardlike cat, Felis pardalis, ranging from Texas through South America: now greatly reduced in number and endangered in the U.S.

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ocelot British  

/ ˈɒsɪˌlɒt, ˈəʊ- /

noun

1. a feline mammal, Felis pardalis, inhabiting the forests of Central and South America and having a dark-spotted buff-brown coat

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Other Word Forms

• oceloid adjective

Etymology

Origin of ocelot

1765–75; < French, apparently arbitrary shortening of Nahuatl tlālōcēlōtl ocelot, equivalent to tlāl ( li ) earth, land + ōcēlōtl jaguar

Compare meaning

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

• ocelot vs. bobcat

Example Sentences

Akers would like to see all hermit crabs legally reclassified as exotic pets, like an alligator or an ocelot, so their sale and ownership could be regulated.

From Slate • Aug. 19, 2025

There’s a new ocelot kitten at the Los Angeles Zoo, delighting zookeepers and visitors.

From New York Times • Jan. 17, 2024

They develop much faster than larger cats; by age 2, the ocelot kitten will be fully independent.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 12, 2023

“It’s not one of our native big cat species, mountain lion, bobcat, ocelot or jaguar. It’s pretty big for a house cat,” Arizona Game and Fish Department spokesman Tom Cadden told The Arizona Republic Wednesday.

From Washington Times • Nov. 16, 2023

Now and then a wolf would approach, or a puma, or ocelot; but a shout would send them to the rightabout.

From In the Wilds of Florida A Tale of Warfare and Hunting by Davis, John Steeple

Related Words

• kitten
• kitty