coatí
/koaˈti/
The English phrase coatimundi is translated into Spanish as coatí.
The term refers to a medium-sized mammal from the raccoon family found in Central and South America.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of coatí is coatíes.
How do you pronounce it?
/koaˈti/
Did you know?
- The Spanish word coatí comes from the word kuati in Guarani, an indigenous language of Paraguay that is still spoken by millions today.
- In some South American folklore, the coatí is often depicted as a clever or mischievous character, much like the 'raccoon' in North American folk tales.
- In many parts of Central America, you might hear people refer to the animal as a mapache instead of a coatí, even though they belong to different taxonomic groups.
Examples in context
- The guide pointed out a pizote during our tour in Mexico.The guide pointed out a coatimundi during our tour in Mexico.
- El coatí tiene una cola muy larga.The coatimundi has a very long tail.
- Vimos un coatí en la selva.We saw a coatimundi in the jungle.
- Ese coatí está buscando comida.That coatimundi is looking for food.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are on a nature hike in a forest.
- Mateo¿Viste ese coatí entre los árboles?Did you see that coatimundi among the trees?
- ElenaSí, es muy pequeño y rápido.Yes, it is very small and fast.
- MateoEl coatí se fue corriendo.The coatimundi ran away.
- ElenaQué lástima, quería verlo mejor.What a pity, I wanted to see it better.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry coatí, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries coatí, CC BY-SA 4.0.
