View synonyms for chinchilla

chinchilla

[ chin-chil-uh ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a small, South American rodent, Chinchilla laniger, raised for its soft, silvery gray fur: now rare in the wild.
the fur of this animal.
something, as a coat or jacket, made of chinchilla fur:
a floor-length chinchilla.
a thick, napped, woolen fabric for coats.

chinchilla

/ tʃɪnˈtʃɪlə /

a small gregarious hystricomorph rodent, Chinchilla laniger, inhabiting mountainous regions of South America: family Chinchillidae. It has a stocky body and is bred in captivity for its soft silvery grey fur
the highly valued fur of this animal
mountain chinchilla
mountain chinchillamountain viscacha any of several long-tailed rodents of the genus Lagidium, having coarse poor quality fur
a breed of rabbit with soft silver-grey fur
a thick napped woollen cloth used for coats

1595–1605; < Spanish, perhaps, equivalent to chinche chinch + -illa < Latin -illa diminutive suffix

C17: from Spanish, perhaps from Aymara

Ethel, that gray is too sweet for anything; it would just match your chinchilla furs perfectly!

The Chinchilla (C. lanigera) inhabits the cold mountain-valleys, where his close, fine gray fur is an invaluable protection.

"The lady is wearing rose-colored cloth and chinchilla," replied Martha Mary literally.

She wore a gray cape with a chinchilla collar made out of Amy's old muff.

Mrs. Chinchilla was not a lovely lady, with a dress of soft gray cloth and a great chinchilla muff and boa.

April 23, 2024inveterate

[in-vet-er-it ]

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