# panda

/ˈpændə/ (US) · /pˈændɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/panda
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. giant panda

noun · CEFR A1

a large, black-and-white bear-like animal that lives in China and eats bamboo.

For teachers: a large black-and-white mammal of the bear family, native to south-central China and noted for its specialised bamboo diet.

- The children were excited to see the panda eating bamboo at the zoo.
- Conservation efforts have successfully increased the wild population of the giant panda, though its habitat remains fragmented by human development.

### 2. red panda

noun · CEFR B2

a small, reddish-brown animal with a long tail that lives in the mountains of Asia.

For teachers: a small arboreal mammal of the Himalayas and southwestern China, characterized by reddish-brown fur and a long, shaggy tail.

- A red panda was sleeping high up in the branches of the tree.
- Taxonomically distinct from the giant panda, the red panda is the only living member of its own family, Ailuridae.

### 3. police car

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Informal

a British name for a small police car, often painted in two colours.

For teachers: a small, marked police patrol car. Colloquial in British English; the name derives from the original black-and-white colour scheme.

- A panda was parked at the corner of the street with its lights flashing.
- The local constable arrived in a panda to investigate the minor traffic disturbance reported by the shopkeeper.

### 4. Hindu priest

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a priest in India who looks after a temple or a special place by a river.

For teachers: a Brahmin who serves as the hereditary superintendent of a temple or a funeral ghat, often maintaining genealogical records for pilgrims.

- The family met with the panda to record their visit in the temple books.
- The panda at the holy site assisted the pilgrims with the necessary rituals and updated their ancestral lineage in the ancient registers.

## Examples

- The giant panda eats bamboo in the forest.
- Visitors at the zoo waited for hours to see the new panda cub playing with its mother.
- Conservation efforts have successfully moved the giant panda from the endangered list to the vulnerable category, though habitat loss remains a significant threat to their long-term survival.

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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.