Illustration of jaguar
plural jaguars also jaguar
: a large cat (Panthera onca) chiefly of Central and South America that is larger and stockier than the leopard and is brownish yellow or buff with black spots
Did you know?
The jaguar is the largest New World cat. It was once found in wooded regions from the U.S.-Mexican border south to Patagonia, Currently, the jaguar survives, in reduced numbers, only in remote areas of Central and South America; the largest known population is in the Amazon rain forest. The male is 5.5-9.0 ft. (1.7-2.7 m) long, including the tail, which measures 23-35-in. (60-90-cm) long, and weighs 220-350 lbs. (100-160 kg). The coat is typically orange-tan with black spots arranged in rosettes with a black spot in the center. A solitary predator, the jaguar usually hunts rodents, deer, birds, and fish; it will also take cattle, horses, and dogs.
Examples of jaguar in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Dry ice streams from an inflatable jaguar head, beyond an excitable DJ and announcers on stilts.
—
Toby Skinner, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2026
That fragility was underscored last October when a jaguar, an endangered species protected under Mexican law, was captured on a hidden camera in the area where Royal Caribbean plans to build its mega water park.
—Natalie Leticia Gallón, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
With almost 13 million acres of the world’s most biodiverse rain forest, rich with jaguars, hummingbirds, and 2,000 butterfly species (take that, Costa Rica), plus some 1,800 miles of unsullied coastline, this country is poised for a tourism boom.
—John Bowe, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2026
Follow jaguars through the borderlands in new documentary Thanks for reading and for subscribing to AZ Climate, the Arizona Republic's weekly environment newsletter.
—Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for jaguar
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Toby Skinner, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2026
That fragility was underscored last October when a jaguar, an endangered species protected under Mexican law, was captured on a hidden camera in the area where Royal Caribbean plans to build its mega water park.
—Natalie Leticia Gallón, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
With almost 13 million acres of the world’s most biodiverse rain forest, rich with jaguars, hummingbirds, and 2,000 butterfly species (take that, Costa Rica), plus some 1,800 miles of unsullied coastline, this country is poised for a tourism boom.
—John Bowe, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2026
Follow jaguars through the borderlands in new documentary Thanks for reading and for subscribing to AZ Climate, the Arizona Republic's weekly environment newsletter.
—Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for jaguar
Cite this Entry
“Jaguar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jaguar. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
jaguar
noun
jag·uar
ˈjag(-yə)-ˌwär 
: a large yellowish brown black-spotted cat of tropical America that is larger and has a more solid build than the leopard
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
