coypou

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The native name of a South American rodent mammal, the Myopotamus coypus. Its head is large and depressed, its neck short and stout, its limbs short, its tail long and round, and it swims with great ease. It is valued for its fur, which was formerly used largely in the manufacture of hats. The length of a full-grown coypou is about 2 feet 6 inches. See Myopotamus.