lemur

American  

[lee-mer] / ˈli mər /

noun

• lemurs
  plural

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

Derived Forms

• lemur-like
  adjective
• lemurlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• lemurs
  plural

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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

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Explanation

A lemur is a small, nocturnal primate that's native to Madagascar. Lemurs are distinctive for their huge, dark eyes and long tails. There are about 100 different lemur species, some nearly as small as mice and others weighing up to 20 pounds, all of which are native to Madagascar. They're unusual in many ways, from their large eyes and the fact that females are dominant. Lemurs are also believed to be the world's oldest primates. The Latin root of lemur literally means "evil spirits of the dead," a possible reference to their nocturnal nature.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lemur lemurs

A wildlife trust is is celebrating the rare birth of red-ruffed lemur quadruplets.

From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026

The impact of predation -- combined with low reproductive rates and potentially high inbreeding of the lemur population of Betampona -- could affect the survival of this species at this site.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 19, 2024

Instead, police say the lemur has been connected with a local wildlife rescue agency where it will be “well cared for and loved.”

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 14, 2023

Although humans don’t naturally hibernate, the ability is found in species from nearly every mammalian lineage, from Madagascar’s fat-tailed dwarf lemur to the arctic ground squirrel.

From Science Magazine ● May 24, 2023

She was a lemur perching on his shoulder, her eyes wide.

From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman

As an ecologist who has studied chimpanzees and lemurs in the field in Uganda and Madagascar, I am fascinated by the environments that shaped our primate ancestors.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 20, 2026

A troop of ring-tailed lemurs greets them on the other side.

From BBC ● May 29, 2026

There’s a charity called Monkeys Without Borders, led by a woman who has “changed her name to Xotica Lemur, even though lemurs are not monkeys.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

You’ll find everything from red pandas to critically endangered black-and-white ruffed lemurs.

From Salon ● Mar. 31, 2026

Just as modern humans walked up to unafraid dodos and island seals and killed them, prehistoric humans presumably walked up to unafraid moas and giant lemurs and killed them too.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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