noun
guanaco
gwuh-NAH-koh
Guanaco (noun) means a wild South American camelid closely related to the llama, alpaca and vicuña. Example: “A herd of guanacos grazed on the open grassland near the mountains.”
noun
1
A wild South American camelid closely related to the llama, alpaca and vicuña.
"A herd of guanacos grazed on the open grassland near the mountains."
"The guanaco's thick coat helps it survive the cold of the high plains."
"Unlike the llama, the guanaco has never been fully domesticated."
How to use guanaco
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA wild, llama-like animal from South America.
When to use it
It is a neutral, everyday term used mainly in zoology and travel writing about South America.
Memory tip
Guanaco, llama, alpaca and vicuña are all camelids, so it helps to picture them as one family of animals rather than separate types.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
a herd of guanacos
wild guanaco
guanaco wool
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A herd of _____ grazed on the open grassland near the mountains.
Etymology
Guanaco was borrowed into English from Spanish guanaco, which in turn came from the Quechua word wanaku.
Rhymes for guanaco
See all rhymes for guanaco →Frequently asked questions
What is a guanaco?
It is a wild South American camelid, related to the llama, alpaca and vicuña, and belonging to the same family as camels.
Is a guanaco the same as a llama?
No, though they are closely related; the llama is generally considered a domesticated descendant of the guanaco.
Where does the word guanaco come from?
It comes from Spanish guanaco, which was borrowed from the Quechua word wanaku.
What is the meaning of guanaco?
"guanaco" (noun) means a wild South American camelid closely related to the llama, alpaca and vicuña.
