Plural of chinchilla, small furry rodents from South America known for their soft, dense fur and ability to jump very high.
From Spanish 'chinchilla,' derived from Quechua 'chinch'illa,' the name used by indigenous Andean peoples for these animals. The word traveled from Quechua through Spanish colonial languages into English.
Chinchillas take dust baths instead of water baths because their fur is so dense that water can cause fungal infections—nature designed them perfectly for dry mountain living!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.