Capybara
/ˌkæpɪˈbɑːrə/noun
A large semiaquatic rodent native to Central and South America.
Did you know?Capybara comes through Spanish and Portuguese from Tupi-Guarani, an Indigenous language family of South America, rather than from Latin or Greek scientific terminology.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian period
Tupi
ka'apiûara
“A term traditionally interpreted as “one who eats grass or slender leaves.””
16th Century
Spanish
capibara
“A name adopted for the large South American rodent.”
16th–17th Century
Portuguese
capivara
“The Portuguese form used in Brazil for the animal.”
18th Century
Scientific Latin
Hydrochoerus
“The genus name later assigned to the capybara; literally associated with a “water hog.””
19th Century
English
capybara
“The English form established for the largest living rodent.”
Modern English
English
capybara
“A semi-aquatic, social rodent famed for living near water and eating grasses.”