raccoon

raccoon — noun

1. a grey-furred wild animal with a dark patch around each eye, a pointed nose, and

1.nounA2
Definition

a grey-furred wild animal with a dark patch around each eye, a pointed nose, and a long bushy tail with alternating light and dark rings

Example

Felipe spotted a raccoon with a dark mask climbing the wall to raid the bin.

distinctive facial mask; urban bin-raiding behaviour

The raccoon used its front paws to open the lid of the food container.

dexterous front paws — raccoons can grasp and turn objects

Common collocations
  • spot a raccoon
  • raccoon rummaging
  • raccoon climbs
  • raccoon paws

Grammar Patterns

a raccoon

raccoons (plural)

Usage Note

Raccoons are common in towns and cities across North America, where they often search through rubbish bins for food. The plural form is 'raccoons'.

Common Mistakes

I saw a racoon in the garden.
I saw a raccoon in the garden.
The standard spelling has a double 'c'; 'racoon' is a less common variant but may be marked as incorrect.
The racoon is a type of bear.
The raccoon is a medium-sized mammal in the Procyonidae family.
Raccoons look bear-like but are not bears.

2. thick grey-brown animal fur that comes from raccoons, often used to make warm co

2.nounB1
Definition

thick grey-brown animal fur that comes from raccoons, often used to make warm coats, hats, and other items of clothing

Example

Faisal bought an old coat made of raccoon at the antique market.

The designer used soft raccoon fur for the collar and cuffs of the winter jacket.

as modifier: raccoon fur + noun

Common collocations
  • raccoon coat
  • raccoon hat
  • raccoon collar
  • raccoon fur trim
  • made of raccoon
Synonyms
  • pelt

    refers specifically to the skin with fur still attached, not the processed material

  • hide

    usually refers to the skin of larger animals (cows, horses) used for leather, not typically for raccoon fur

Grammar Patterns

made of raccoon

raccoon fur / raccoon coat

Usage Note

In this sense 'raccoon' is an uncountable material noun. You can say 'a raccoon coat' (a coat made from raccoon fur) or 'a coat made of raccoon.' The use of raccoon fur has declined since the 20th century due to ethical concerns and the availability of synthetic alternatives.

Common Mistakes

He wore a raccoon.' (meaning a fur coat)
He wore a raccoon coat.
'Raccoon' as an uncountable material on its own can sound odd to some speakers; the compound noun 'raccoon coat' is more natural.

Word family

  • raccoon fur
    nounB1
  • raccoon coat
    nounB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Raccoons are often grouped with other medium-sized wild mammals, but each has clear distinguishing features. The badger has a low, wide body with black-and-white facial stripes and lives in underground burrows, whereas raccoons are agile climbers with ringed tails. The red fox is sleeker, with a long pointed snout, upright ears, and a solid-coloured bushy tail tipped in white — it lacks the raccoon's distinctive black facial mask. The opossum, which is also nocturnal, has a white face, bare ears, and a hairless tail, making it easy to tell apart from the raccoon's furry ringed tail. In conversation, people sometimes shorten 'raccoon' to 'coon,' but this term is now widely considered offensive and should be avoided.

badger ↗fox ↗opossum

Common collocations

Nouns

  • raccoon population
  • raccoon sighting
  • raccoon habitat
  • raccoon trade

Phrases

  • raccoon-proof bin
  • raccoon-related damage

Etymology

Algonquian (Powhatan)English

The word 'raccoon' comes from the Algonquian language family, specifically the Powhatan word 'aroughcun', which first appeared in English colonial records in the early 1600s. This Native American term means roughly 'one who scratches with its hands', describing how raccoons use their nimble front paws to grasp, turn, and handle food. The spelling settled into 'raccoon' by the 1700s, though 'racoon' occasionally appears even today.