Illustration of alpaca
- alpaca 1
1
: a domesticated mammal (Vicugna pacos synonym Lama pacos) especially of Peru that is probably descended from the vicuña
2
a
: wool of the alpaca
b(1)
: a thin cloth made of or containing this wool
(2)
: a rayon or cotton imitation of this cloth
Examples of alpaca in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Over the last week, the San Diego Humane Society has removed 446 cats, 30 dogs and dozens of other animals, including goats, alpacas, pigs, ducks, donkeys, geese and chickens from the property in Julian.
—
Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
Hundreds of animals — including alpacas, donkeys and more than 150 horses — were being rescued from a sanctuary outside Julian on Friday in a massive operation that was expected to take days, a San Diego Humane Society spokesperson said.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
Hug a Therapy Llama Therapy llamas and alpacas are calming fliers' nerves at this US airport.
—Hannah Wallace, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Apr. 2026
Her home, Blenheim Farm, was built in 2020 with her husband on the site of a former bungalow that once formed part of an alpaca farm.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 29 Apr. 2026
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Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
Hundreds of animals — including alpacas, donkeys and more than 150 horses — were being rescued from a sanctuary outside Julian on Friday in a massive operation that was expected to take days, a San Diego Humane Society spokesperson said.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
Hug a Therapy Llama Therapy llamas and alpacas are calming fliers' nerves at this US airport.
—Hannah Wallace, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Apr. 2026
Her home, Blenheim Farm, was built in 2020 with her husband on the site of a former bungalow that once formed part of an alpaca farm.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for alpaca
Cite this Entry
“Alpaca.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alpaca. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
alpaca
noun
al·paca
al-ˈpak-ə 
1
: a mammal with fine long woolly hair domesticated in Peru and related to the llama
2
: wool of the alpaca or a cloth made of it
also
: a rayon or cotton imitation of this cloth
Etymology
Spanish
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