# alpaca

/æɫˈpækə/ (US) · /ælpˈækɐ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/alpaca
Updated: 2026-05-25

## Definition

a type of woolly animal from South America that looks like a llama. People keep them for their soft, warm wool.

For teachers: a domesticated South American camelid, closely related to the llama, known for its high-quality fleece. Often used in the plural to refer to the fiber itself.

## Examples

- The farmer keeps several alpacas for their soft wool.
- Visitors to the mountain farm can see alpacas grazing in the fields and learn about their wool production.
- While the alpaca is smaller and more docile than the llama, it provides a significantly higher yield of fine, hypoallergenic fiber that is highly prized in the textile industry.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.