tarsier

[ tahr-see-er, -see-ey ]

noun

1. any member of the three genera ( Carlito , Cephalopachus , Tarsius ) of the family Tarsiidae, inhabiting Indonesia, the Philippines, and other Southeast Asian islands, characterized as a small, arboreal, nocturnal primate with velvety fur, very large eyes, a long tail, and very long hind limbs: all populations are dwindling and considered vulnerable to extinction.

tarsier

/ ˈtɑːsɪə /

noun

1. any of several nocturnal arboreal prosimian primates of the genus Tarsius, of Indonesia and the Philippines, having huge eyes, long hind legs, and digits ending in pads to facilitate climbing: family Tarsiidae

Word History and Origins

Origin of tarsier¹

First recorded in 1770–75; from French, equivalent to tarse “ankle bones, tarsus” + -ier; so named for its extremely long tarsi by Georges Buffon; tarsus, -ier ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of tarsier¹

C18: from French, from tarse the flat of the foot; see tarsus

Example Sentences

This cute-in-a-creepy-way endangered primate, the tarsier, would make a perfect haunted doll or possessed pet.

From Popular-Science

The first of these is the tarsier, which is found in several of the larger islands in the Malay Archipelago.

From Project Gutenberg

Tarsier, tr′si-er, n. a small arboreal East Indian lemuroid, the malmag.

From Project Gutenberg

Altogether, the tarsier scarcely looks like an animal at all.

From Project Gutenberg

The estimate is for thirty-five little tarsier-eyed creatures.

From Project Gutenberg

The tarsier (Tarsius spectrum) is a small, kitten-faced animal with long hind legs, which enable it to leap like a frog.

From Project Gutenberg