lemur

American  

[lee-mer] / ˈli mər /

noun

1. any of various small, arboreal, chiefly nocturnal mammals of the superfamily Lemuroidea, inhabiting Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, inclusive of nearly 100 species, most of which have large eyes, a foxlike face, and woolly fur: lemurs, which vary significantly in size, include the world’s smallest primates.

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lemur British  

/ ˈliːmə /

noun

1. any Madagascan prosimian primate of the family Lemuridae, such as Lemur catta (the ring-tailed lemur ). They are typically arboreal, having foxy faces and long tails

2. any similar or closely related animal, such as a loris or indris

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Other Word Forms

• lemur-like adjective
• lemurlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of lemur

First recorded in 1790–1800; from New Latin Lemur, the species name, special use of Latin lemurēs (plural) “ghosts, specters, shades of the dead,” from its nocturnal habits

Example Sentences

Owls and lemurs rotate their necks to look around.

From Science Daily

She is wearing gold drop earrings and a turquoise dress made from fabric featuring a rainforest of monkeys, toucans and lemurs.

From BBC

Ms Marsh, who appeared in the ITV series Essex Wives in 2002, took the council to court after it did not allow her to adopt eight ring-tailed lemurs.

From BBC

Meanwhile a two-month-old Alaotran gentle lemur has taken its first tentative jumps beyond the safety of its mother Hazo and father Rocky, making its first trips across an outdoor paddock to nibble on leafy greens.

From BBC

Much as it’s easy to retreat in despair, the lemurs, the giraffes, the sharks and wombats, and actual bats, need our help.

From Salon

Related Words

• ape
• baboon
• chimpanzee
• gorilla
• orangutan