raccoon

noun

rac·coon ra-ˈkün

also rə-

variants or less commonly racoon

plural raccoon or raccoons also racoon or racoons

Synonyms of raccoon

: a small nocturnal carnivore (Procyon lotor) of North America that is chiefly gray, has a black mask and bushy ringed tail, lives chiefly in trees, and has a varied diet including small animals, fruits, and nuts

: the pelt of this animal

: any of several animals resembling or related to the raccoon

Examples of raccoon 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.

Black rat snakes are eaten by raccoons, weasels, coyotes, owls, hawks, and other snakes. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026 The raccoon used her paws to repeatedly dunk the receipt into a bowl of water (a common exploratory behavior). — Isabel Gil, Scientific American, 3 Sep. 2026 Writing in a raccoon, in turn, meant setting aside the time to both film with an actual raccoon — his name is Rocket, of course — and devise ways for the show to substitute a prop animal for scenes where the actors might directly interact with it. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026 Most of the time, humans are exposed to the virus from bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for raccoon

Word History

Etymology

Virginia Algonquian raugroughcun, arocoun

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of raccoon was in 1608

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Raccoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/raccoon. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

raccoon

noun

rac·coon

variants also racoon

ra-ˈkün

plural raccoon or raccoons also racoon or racoons

: a small North American mammal that is mostly gray with a black mask, has a bushy ringed tail, lives chiefly in trees and is active at night, and eats a varied diet including small animals, fruits, eggs, and insects

also : the pelt of a raccoon

Etymology

Virginia Algonquian raugroughcoon, arocoun "racoon"

raccoon

noun

Illustration of raccoon

Examples of raccoon in a Sentence

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raccoon

noun

Illustration of raccoon

Examples of raccoon in a Sentence

Word History

Phrases Containing raccoon

Rhymes for raccoon

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on raccoon

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