Chinchilla
/tʃɪnˈtʃɪlə/noun
A small South American rodent with very soft fur, or the fur of this animal.
Did you know?The word entered European languages through Spanish from a native Andean name, but its exact pre-Spanish source is uncertain—an example of how conquest can preserve a word while erasing its original story.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian Andes
Indigenous
(uncertain native form)
“A local name for the small Andean rodent later borrowed into Spanish.”
16th Century
Spanish
chinchilla
“The animal name adopted from Indigenous South American speech.”
17th–18th Century
Spanish/European
chinchilla
“The fur of the animal, prized for its exceptional softness.”
18th Century
English
chinchilla
“A small rodent from the Andes, and its soft fur.”
Modern English
English
chinchilla
“The animal, its fur, or a grayish color named after the fur.”