Llama

/ˈlɑːmə/ noun

Definition

A llama is a large, long‑necked animal with thick woolly fur, related to the camel but without a hump. It is often used in South America for carrying loads and for its wool.

Etymology

The word comes from Spanish, which borrowed it from Quechua, an Indigenous language of the Andes. It shows how European languages absorbed names for New World animals from the people who already knew them well.

Kelly Says

Llamas are famous for spitting, but they mostly do it at each other to settle arguments, not at humans. They’ve been domesticated for thousands of years, so for Andean cultures, llamas are more like long‑time coworkers than exotic animals.

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