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Definition of alpaca
alpaca
/ælˈpæk.ə/
al · pac · a
Plural:alpacas
alpaca Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
4
Tier
2
Usage
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• noun
1
A domesticated South American camelid (Vicugna pacos) native to the high altitudes of the Andes, resembling a small llama and raised primarily for its high-quality fleece.
Example
"The farmer manages a herd of alpacas in the mountains, shearing them once a year before the hot summer months."
2
The soft, fine fleece of the alpaca, or a yarn or fabric woven from this fleece.
Example
"She wore a thick sweater made of pure alpaca to keep warm during the winter trip."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for alpaca• Rhymes for alpaca
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed into English in the late 18th century from Spanish 'alpaca', which was derived from the Aymara word 'allpaqa', referring to the animal.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Alpaca. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/alpaca