guanaco

noun

gua·​na·​co gwə-ˈnä-(ˌ)kō How to pronounce guanaco (audio)
plural guanacos also guanaco
: a long-necked South American mammal (Lama guanicoe) of dry, open country that has a soft, thick fawn-colored coat, is related to the camel but lacks a dorsal hump, and is considered to be the ancestor of the domesticated llama compare alpaca, llama

Illustration of guanaco

Illustration of guanaco

Examples of guanaco in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Wild guanacos—llama-like camelids with dark-red fur—darted across the road. — Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 The grassy area around the lodge is a favorite place for herds of guanacos (a close relative of the llama) to graze and sun themselves. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 Further Possibilities Hiding in an oak tree, pausing in a middle school hallway on crutches, discovering guanacos at the Syracuse Zoo. — Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026 In Chile’s famous Torres Del Paine National Park, a mother puma with her two cubs in tow attacks a guanaco. — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 18 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for guanaco

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Quechua wanaku

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of guanaco was in 1604

Rhymes for guanaco

See All Rhymes for guanaco

Browse Nearby Words

guanacaste
guanaco
guanajuatite
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Guanaco.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guanaco. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

guanaco

noun
gua·​na·​co gwə-ˈnäk-ō How to pronounce guanaco (audio)
plural guanacos
: a South American mammal that has a soft thick light grayish brown coat and is related to the camels but lacks a hump

More from Merriam-Webster on guanaco

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about guanaco

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All