[rac.coon] n, pl raccoon or raccoons [Virginia Algonquian raugroughcun, arocoun] (1608) 1 a: a small nocturnal carnivore (Procyon lotor) of No. America that is chiefly gray, has a black mask and bushy ringed tail, lives chiefly in trees, and has a varied diet including small animals, fruits, and nuts b: the pelt of this animal
2: any of several animals resembling or related to the raccoon