Etymograph

English

kinkajou

Kinkajou comes from French kinkajou.

  1. Frenchc. 1600–presentkinkajouas quincajou
  2. Englishtodaysame form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Frenchc. 1600–presentkinkajouas quincajou
  2. Englishtodaysame form

The story

From French quincajou, from an Algonquian word, probably originally meaning ‘wolverine’ (compare Algonquin Kwingwaage, Ojibwe gwiingwa'aage (‘wolverine’)), which was later transferred to the South American animal.

Every English word from French kinkajou

Today it means

noun Potos flavus, a carnivorous mammal of Central America and South America with a long, prehensile tail, related to the raccoon.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / French kinkajou / kinkajou

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