Vicuna
/vɪˈkuː.nə/noun
A small South American camelid prized for its exceptionally fine wool.
Did you know?Vicuna is borrowed from Spanish vicuña, which comes from Quechua wik’uña, preserving an Indigenous Andean name rather than a European invention.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian Andes
Quechua
wik’uña
“The Indigenous Quechua name for the vicuna, an Andean camelid.”
16th Century
Spanish
vicuña
“The animal known for its exceptionally fine fleece; Spanish adopted the Quechua term during colonial contact.”
17th Century
English
vicuna
“An adopted name for the South American animal and its wool.”
Modern English
English
vicuna
“A camelid of the central Andes, or the exceptionally soft wool obtained from it.”