panda

noun

pan·​da ˈpan-də How to pronounce panda (audio)
1
: red panda
2
: a large black-and-white mammal (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) of chiefly central China that feeds primarily on bamboo shoots and is now usually classified with the bears (family Ursidae)

called also giant panda

Illustration of panda

Illustration of panda
  • A red panda
  • B panda 2

Examples of panda in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The two pandas have yet to be named. — ABC News, 6 June 2026 They were called panda 50 years before the large black and white panda. — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 10 June 2026 Even though the animals are adorable, being a panda keeper isn’t always cute. — Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026 In one montage played for laughs, an emperor is squashed by a panda and a king is beheaded, although there is no blood or guts to speak of. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for panda

Word History

Etymology

French, perhaps from a language of the southeast Himalayas

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of panda was in 1834

Phrases Containing panda

Rhymes for panda

See All Rhymes for panda

Browse Nearby Words

pand
panda
panda car
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Cite this Entry

“Panda.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/panda. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

panda

noun
pan·​da ˈpan-də How to pronounce panda (audio)
1
: red panda
2
: a large black and white mammal of chiefly central China that feeds primarily on bamboo shoots and is now usually considered to be closely related to the bears

called also giant panda

More from Merriam-Webster on panda

Nglish: Translation of panda for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about panda

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