vicuna

Or vi·cu·ña

[vahy-koo-nuh, -kyoo-, vi-, vi-koo-nyuh]

noun

1. a wild South American ruminant, Vicugna vicugna, of the Andes, related to the guanaco but smaller, and yielding a soft, delicate wool: an endangered species, now increasing in numbers.

2. a fabric of this wool or of some substitute, usually twilled and finished with a soft nap.

3. a garment, especially an overcoat, of vicuna.

vicuña

/ vɪˈkjuːnə, vɪˈkuːnjə /

noun

1. a tawny-coloured cud-chewing Andean artiodactyl mammal, Vicugna vicugna, similar to the llama: family Camelidae

2. the fine light cloth made from the wool obtained from this animal

Word History and Origins

Origin of vicuña¹

1585–95; < Spanish vicuña < Quechua wik’uña

Word History and Origins

Origin of vicuña¹

C17: from Spanish vicuña, from Quechuan wikúña