Illustration of ocelot
ocelot
noun
oce·lot
ˈä-sə-ˌlät 
ˈō-
ˈō-
: a medium-sized American wildcat (Leopardus pardalis synonym Felis pardalis) that ranges from Texas to northern Argentina and has a tawny-yellow or grayish coat dotted and striped with black
Examples of ocelot in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Rio is currently the oldest ocelot in human care — a remarkable achievement for a species that typically lives far shorter lives in captivity.
—
Wcco Staff, CBS News, 12 May 2026
The region even serves as a habitat for the rare jaguar and ocelot.
—Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2026
Large cats including lions, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, ocelots, jaguarundis, pumas, lynxes, and bobcats are banned from private ownership, according to Connecticut state statutes.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2026
Wood drums are often carved with Aztec symbols such as the sun or animals like owls, eagles and ocelots.
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ocelot
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Wcco Staff, CBS News, 12 May 2026
The region even serves as a habitat for the rare jaguar and ocelot.
—Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2026
Large cats including lions, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, ocelots, jaguarundis, pumas, lynxes, and bobcats are banned from private ownership, according to Connecticut state statutes.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2026
Wood drums are often carved with Aztec symbols such as the sun or animals like owls, eagles and ocelots.
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ocelot
Cite this Entry
“Ocelot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ocelot. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ocelot
noun
oce·lot
ˈäs-ə-ˌlät
ˈō-sə-
ˈō-sə-
: a medium-sized American wildcat that is found from Texas to northern Argentina and has a tawny yellow or grayish coat marked with black
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