panda

pan-da · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A large bearlike mammal with characteristic black and white markings, native to bamboo forests in China; the giant panda.

  2. 2.

    (Also red panda) A smaller reddish-brown mammal with a long bushy tail, native to the Himalayas and southwestern China.

Forms

plural: pandas

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    panda eyes — dark circles under the eyes, resembling a panda's markings
  • •
    panda diplomacy — the practice of China lending pandas to foreign countries as a diplomatic gesture

Related words

See also: bamboo, bear, endangered, wildlife
Synonyms: giant panda

Etymology

From Nepali ponya, possibly meaning "bamboo-eater" or from the local name for the red panda. The word entered English in the 19th century.