Vicugna
/vɪˈkuːnjə/noun
A genus of South American camelids containing the vicuña, valued for its exceptionally fine wool.
Did you know?Vicugna is a Latinized scientific form ultimately based on the Quechua name wik’uña, showing how Indigenous Andean knowledge became embedded in modern biological classification.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian period
Quechua
wik’uña
“The Andean camelid now known in English as the vicuña.”
16th Century
Spanish
vicuña
“The name adopted by Spanish speakers for the South American camelid.”
18th Century
New Latin
Vicugna
“A Latinized zoological genus name based on Spanish vicuña.”
19th Century
Scientific English
Vicugna
“The accepted genus name in zoological classification.”
Modern English
English
vicugna
“A taxonomic name for the genus containing the vicuña.”
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