giant panda
giant panda Lexical Profile
• noun
A large, distinctively black-and-white bear (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) native to the bamboo forests of central China, known for its highly specialized diet consisting almost entirely of bamboo.
"Extensive conservation efforts in China have successfully increased the population of the giant panda in the wild."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often referred to simply as a 'panda', the qualifier 'giant' is used in formal or biological contexts to distinguish it from the completely unrelated 'red panda'.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The term 'giant' was added to differentiate the species from the smaller, unrelated red panda. 'Panda' entered English in the 19th century via French, likely originating from the Nepali word 'ponya', which may mean 'bamboo eater'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.