Medium-sized mammals with distinctive black mask-like markings across the eyes, bushy ringed tails, and dexterous front paws.
From Powhatan (Algonquian language) arahkun, meaning 'one who scratches with its hands.' European colonists adopted this Native American word directly, preserving the original meaning in the etymology.
The word raccoon comes directly from the Powhatan word arahkun, which means 'one who scratches with its hands' — a perfect description of what raccoons actually do. It's one of the few American English words that preserve the original Native American language rather than replacing it with European terms.
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