ocelot

American  

[os-uh-lot, oh-suh-] / ˈɒs əˌlɒt, ˈoʊ sə- /

noun

1. a spotted leopardlike cat, Felis pardalis, ranging from Texas through South America: now greatly reduced in number and endangered in the U.S.

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ocelot British  

/ ˈɒsɪˌlɒt, ˈəʊ- /

noun

1. a feline mammal, Felis pardalis, inhabiting the forests of Central and South America and having a dark-spotted buff-brown coat

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• oceloid
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of ocelot

1765–75; < French, apparently arbitrary shortening of Nahuatl tlālōcēlōtl ocelot, equivalent to tlāl ( li ) earth, land + ōcēlōtl jaguar

Compare meaning

How does ocelot compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• ocelot vs. bobcat

Example Sentences

Akers would like to see all hermit crabs legally reclassified as exotic pets, like an alligator or an ocelot, so their sale and ownership could be regulated.

From Slate • Aug. 19, 2025

There’s a new ocelot kitten at the Los Angeles Zoo, delighting zookeepers and visitors.

From New York Times • Jan. 17, 2024

The ocelot is a midsize cat — larger than a house cat but smaller than a bobcat, according to the zoo.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 12, 2023

“It’s not one of our native big cat species, mountain lion, bobcat, ocelot or jaguar. It’s pretty big for a house cat,” Arizona Game and Fish Department spokesman Tom Cadden told The Arizona Republic Wednesday.

From Washington Times • Nov. 16, 2023

Dwelling on the fact that in ancient Mexico Ursa Major was associated with an ocelot, I remembered the many representations in which an ocelot is represented as confronting an eagle, usually in mortal combat.

From The Fundamental Principles of Old and New World Civilizations by Nuttall, Zelia

Related Words

• kitten
• kitty