Definition of the word coypu

The word "coypu" is derived from the Quechua language, which was spoken by indigenous peoples in the Andes Mountains of South America. In Quechua, the coypu, scientifically known as Myocastor coypus, is called "huaría" or "warí". When European explorers first encountered these animals in the 16th century, they brought the word "huaría" back with them to Europe. However, the word was eventually distorted and transformed into "coypu" during the process of translation and assimilation into various European languages, such as Spanish, French, and English. In Spanish, the word is also sometimes spelled as "coipú", "coyópú", or "quiyópú". The scientific name "Myocastor coypus" is taken from the Latin words for "mouse" (myo) and "beaver" (castor), which reflect the coypu's resemblance to those animals due to its semiaquatic habitat and use of mud and vegetation for building burrows and lodges.