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Origin and history of jaguar

jaguar(n.)

big spotted cat of the Americas (Felis onca), c. 1600, from Portuguese jaguar, from Tupi jaguara, said in old sources to denote any large beast of prey ["tygers and dogs," in Cullen's translation of Abbe Clavigero's "History of Mexico"]. Compare Tupi jacare "alligator." As a type of stylish British-made car from 1935; in this sense the abbreviation Jag is attested by 1951.

also from c. 1600

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Trends of jaguar

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

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Dictionary entries near jaguar
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