coati

noun

co·​a·​ti kə-ˈwä-tē How to pronounce coati (audio)
kō-ˈä-,
kwä-ˈtē How to pronounce coati (audio)
1
: any of several tropical American mammals (genera Nasua and Nasuella) related to the raccoon but with a longer body and tail and a long flexible snout
2

Illustration of coati

Illustration of coati

Examples of coati in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Susan Perry, an anthropologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, who was not involved in the study, described witnessing the animals torturing coati pups before eating them alive in Costa Rica. Elizabeth Landau, New York Times, 19 May 2025 While visitors to Reserva Conchal can spot iconic Costa Rican animals like the mantled howler monkey, white-nosed coati and elegant trogon during a visit, the property has also mastered the art of hospitality, with two prestigious hotels located within its boundaries. Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025 The coati is a civet-like animal native to Central and South America and is related to the Asian civet. Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024 Sometimes a coati, a javelina or a roadrunner shows up in the parking lot. Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 20 May 2024 And here was the print of a coati. Guest, Discover Magazine, 16 June 2015 Skunk, bear, and coati walk these trails along the ditch. Citizen Science Salon, Discover Magazine, 30 Mar. 2015 And for Johnny the coati, a distant relative of the racoon, that means enticing him with a spoonful of honey inside of a plastic container, prompting him to stick his head inside while a vet administers the vaccine. San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Aug. 2021 Larissa Pratta Campos, a veterinary student, has helped treat wild boar, marsh deer, birds, primates and a raccoon-like creature called a coati. Scott Reinhard, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Portuguese quati, coati, from Tupi kwáti

First Known Use

1676, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of coati was in 1676

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Coati.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coati. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

coati

noun
co·​ati
kə-ˈwät-ē,
kwä-ˈtē
: a tropical American mammal related to the raccoon but with a longer body and tail and a long flexible snout

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