raccoon
UK[rəˈkuːn]US[ræˈkuːn]
n
A small North American mammal with grayish-brown fur, a black mask-like marking around its eyes, and a ringed tail.
n
The fur of this animal.
Etymology
The word 'raccoon' entered English in the early 17th century from the Powhatan language, an Algonquian language spoken in the coastal region of Virginia. The Powhatan word aroughcun literally meant "he scratches with his hands," a highly descriptive term for the animal's distinctive foraging behavior. English colonists adopted and shortened the term, which passed through several spellings like 'rarowcun' and 'rahaugcum' before stabilizing as 'raccoon'. This journey from a descriptive Native American name to a standard English zoological term exemplifies how languages absorb and adapt words from new environments and cultures.
Analysis
The word is a loanword from an Algonquian language (specifically Powhatan aroughcun). It is not productively formed from classical or Germanic morphemes in English and therefore cannot be segmented into meaningful parts based on its English spelling.
Examples
A family of raccoons has been raiding our trash cans at night.
The raccoon's dexterous front paws allow it to open latches and containers.
He wore a hat trimmed with raccoon fur.