I. ˈpandə, ˈpaan- noun
( -s )
Etymology: French, from native name in Nepal
1. : a long-tailed Himalayan carnivore ( Ailurus fulgens ) that is related to and closely resembles the American raccoon, has long fur, and is basically rusty or chestnut in color with mottling and barring of black and with the muzzle, cheeks and ears conspicuously tufted with white — called also bear cat, cat bear
2. : a large mammal ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca ) of western China that somewhat resembles a bear but is related to the raccoons though sometimes placed in a separate family and that is largely white above and black below with black patches about the eyes and black ears — called also giant panda
[s]panda.jpg[/s] [
A panda 1, B panda 2
]
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: New Latin, probably by shortening & alteration from Late Latin pandura, pandurium three-stringed lute — more at pandura
: a philodendron ( Philodendron panduriforme ) used as an ornamental and aquarium plant and having fiddle-shaped leaves
III. noun
Etymology: New Latin, from native name in Gabon and So. Cameroons
1. capitalized : a small West African genus (coextensive with the family Pandaceae and order Pandales) of dicotyledonous trees with drupaceous fruits that are rich in tannin and contain large seeds rich in edible oil
2. -s
a. : a small West African tree ( Panda oleosa )
b. : the very hard heavy fine-grained brownish yellow to greenish wood of the panda