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Cougar

4 stages from Tupi to English.

Today it means a large, tawny wild cat native to the Americas, also known as the puma or mountain lion

Where does the word "cougar" come from? It comes from Tupi suasuarana, passing through Portuguese and French before entering English (1770s-1800s).

1
Stage 1 of 4
suasuarana
Tupi · pre-1500s
"a large wildcat (literally 'false deer')"
a compound describing the large wildcat, later corrupted through transmission
2
Stage 2 of 4
çuçuarana
Portuguese · 1600s
"a large American wildcat"
adopted by Portuguese colonists in Brazil, later blended with a Guarani word for the animal
3
Stage 3 of 4
cougar
French · 1770s
"a large American wildcat"
corrupted in French natural history writing, notably by Buffon
4
Stage 4 of 4
cougar
English · 1770s-1800s
"a large wild cat native to the Americas, also called puma or mountain lion"
borrowed from French into English natural history usage
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