Illustration of capybara
capybara
noun
cap·y·bara ˌka-pi-ˈber-ə 
-ˈba-rə,
-ˈbär-ə : a tailless semiaquatic South and Central American rodent (Hydrochaerus hydrochaeris) often exceeding four feet (1.2 meters) in length
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web For example, the giant ground sloth identified by Iriarte and his colleagues could in fact be a capybara -- a giant rodent common today across the region. 
Katie Hunt, CNN, 7 Mar. 2022 The capybara is the world's largest rodent and a close relative of the guinea pig. Daisy Hernandez, Popular Mechanics, 26 Jan. 2022 Cloudy 67 San Francisco: Rainy, 62 San Jose: Rainy 65 Fresno: Treat yourself to a spa day like this capybara did. Justin Ray, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2021 Another resident posted photos of a capybara run over by a van. Silvina Frydlewsky, WSJ, 10 Oct. 2021 Ever idly wondered if a capybara could somehow take down an elephant in a beachfront brawl? David Shiffman, Scientific American, 22 Feb. 2021 Watching a capybara look contentedly out of place among guinea pigs helps. Aj Willingham, CNN, 22 Feb. 2021 Rustrela was found at an unidentified German zoo in three animals — a donkey, a Bennett's tree-kangaroo and a capybara, the largest rodent in the world. Mark Johnson, USA TODAY, 8 Oct. 2020 Rustrela was found at an unidentified German zoo in three animals — a donkey, a Bennett's tree-kangaroo and a capybara, the largest rodent in the world. Mark Johnson, USA TODAY, 8 Oct. 2020 See More
Katie Hunt, CNN, 7 Mar. 2022 The capybara is the world's largest rodent and a close relative of the guinea pig. Daisy Hernandez, Popular Mechanics, 26 Jan. 2022 Cloudy 67 San Francisco: Rainy, 62 San Jose: Rainy 65 Fresno: Treat yourself to a spa day like this capybara did. Justin Ray, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2021 Another resident posted photos of a capybara run over by a van. Silvina Frydlewsky, WSJ, 10 Oct. 2021 Ever idly wondered if a capybara could somehow take down an elephant in a beachfront brawl? David Shiffman, Scientific American, 22 Feb. 2021 Watching a capybara look contentedly out of place among guinea pigs helps. Aj Willingham, CNN, 22 Feb. 2021 Rustrela was found at an unidentified German zoo in three animals — a donkey, a Bennett's tree-kangaroo and a capybara, the largest rodent in the world. Mark Johnson, USA TODAY, 8 Oct. 2020 Rustrela was found at an unidentified German zoo in three animals — a donkey, a Bennett's tree-kangaroo and a capybara, the largest rodent in the world. Mark Johnson, USA TODAY, 8 Oct. 2020 See More Word History
Etymology
Portuguese capibara, capivara, alteration of capiiuara, from Tupi kapiʔiwara, from kapíʔi grass, brush + -wara eater
First Known Use
1774, in the meaning defined above