capybara
UK[ˌkapɪˈbɑːrə]US[ˌkæpɪˈbɛrə]
n
a very large, semi-aquatic rodent native to South America, with short limbs, a blunt head, and webbed feet.
n
the sole living species of its genus (Hydrochoerus), often considered the largest rodent in the world.
Etymology
the word 'capybara' is a direct loan from portuguese, which adopted it from the tupi language of brazil. in tupi, the term 'ka'apiûara' is a compound describing the animal's primary behavior, derived from 'kaá' (grass) and 'píi' (slender) combined with the agent suffix 'ûara', effectively meaning 'one who eats slender grass'. european explorers and naturalists in the 16th and 17th centuries adopted the local name for this unfamiliar new world animal. the term entered english via spanish and portuguese accounts, retaining its indigenous form and its descriptive logic, now referring specifically to the large, aquatic rodent.
Analysis
this is a simplex loanword. its form is taken directly from the portuguese 'capibara', which itself was borrowed from the tupi language (indigenous to brazil). the tupi word is 'ka'apiûara', meaning 'grass eater'.
Examples
we watched a family of capybaras lounging by the riverbank.
the capybara is a highly social animal, often found in large groups.
due to its gentle nature, the capybara is sometimes kept as an exotic pet.