guaxinim
/ɡwa.ʃiˈnĩ/masculine
The Portuguese word for raccoon is guaxinim.
The term refers to the nocturnal omnivore living in North America, Procyon lotor.
Meaning: nocturnal omnivore living in North America, Procyon lotor (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The word is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables: /ɡwa.ʃiˈnĩ/. The stress is on the third syllable.
Did you know?
- The word guaxinim comes from the Old Tupi language gûasunĩ, which was spoken by the indigenous peoples of Brazil before Portuguese colonization.
- In many Portuguese-speaking regions, if you want to describe an animal that looks similar to a raccoon, people might use the term mão-pelada instead.
- The spelling of guaxinim uses the 'x' to produce a 'sh' sound, a common feature of words inherited from indigenous Tupi languages in Portuguese.
Examples in context
- Tom viu um guaxinim.Tom saw a raccoon.This sentence is useful for saying that Tom saw a guaxinim.Tatoeba #8591580 by bill, translation #8581127 by CK
- Você viu o guaxinim?Do you see the raccoon?This sentence is useful for asking if someone sees the guaxinim.Tatoeba #8661999 by jvlopes91, translation #693563 by CK
- Eu quero um guaxinim.I want a raccoon.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire for a guaxinim.Tatoeba #6012731 by bill, translation #3821278 by CK
- Olha só aquele guaxinim ali! Tão fofo!Look at that raccoon over there! So cute!
- Sabia que o guaxinim é nativo da América do Norte? Eles são conhecidos pelo seu olfato aguçado!Did you know that raccoons are native to North America? They are known for their keen sense of smell!
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rodrigo and Mariana are watching a nature documentary together.
- RodrigoOlha aquele guaxinim no vídeo!Look at that raccoon in the video!
- MarianaEle é muito engraçado.He is very funny.
- RodrigoO guaxinim está lavando a comida.The raccoon is washing its food.
- MarianaEu nunca vi isso antes.I have never seen that before.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “raccoon” translations and entries guaxinim, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries guaxinim, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
