Also 7–9 lama, 8 glama. [a. Sp. llama, quoted as a Peruvian name of the animal in 1535 (Oviedo, Hist. Peru, ed. 1851, I. 418); in Dom. de S. Thomas, Lexicon de la Lengua del Perú (1560), it is given (along with paco, guanaco, and vicuña) as a rendering of oveja (sheep).] A South American ruminant quadruped, Auchenia llama, closely allied to the camel, but smaller, humpless and woolly-haired; used as a beast of burden in the Andes.
1600. Hakluyt, Voy., III. 735. An Indian boy driuing 8. Llamas or sheepe of Peru which are as big as asses.
1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, IV. xli. 319. There is nothing at Peru of greater riches and profit than the cattell of the country, which our men call Indian sheep, and the Indians in their generall language call them Lama.
1752. Sir J. Hill, Hist. Anim., 574. The glama … is an extremely singular animal.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist., II. 413. The lama, which may be considered the camel of the new world.
1845. Darwin, Voy. Nat., viii. (1852), 166. The guanaco or wild Llama, is the characteristic quadruped of the plains of Patagonia.
1870. Emerson, Soc. & Solit., Courage, Wks. (Bohn), III. 110. The llama that will carry a load if you caress him, will refuse food and die if he is scourged.
b. The wool of the llama or a material made from this.
1882. World, 21 June, 18/1. A pink llama was made with a wide flounce of coarse white lace coming from under the scarf.
1887. A. W. Tuer & C. E. Fagan, First Year of Silken Reign, 1837–8, iv. 69. Her [the Lady Mayoress’s] petticoat was of llama and gold.
c. attrib. as llama-cloth, -driver, -stuff, -wool.
1809. Campbell, Gertr. Wyom., II. xvi. The lama-driver on Peruvia’s peak.
1851. Illustr. Catal. Gt. Exhib., 1055. Embroidered Llama stuff. Ibid., 1083. Llama wool shawls.
1871. W. H. G. Kingston, On Banks of Amazon (1876), 109. The coca-bag … was made of llama cloth, dyed red and blue.
