lemur

[lee-mer]

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.

lemur

/ 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

Other Word Forms

• lemur-like adjective
• lemurlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of lemur¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of lemur¹

C18: New Latin, adapted from Latin lemurēs ghosts; so named by Linnaeus for its ghost-like face and nocturnal habits

Example Sentences

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

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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.

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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.

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

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Only 36 greater bamboo lemurs are in captivity globally and they are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

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Related Words

• ape 
• baboon 
• chimpanzee 
• gorilla 
• orangutan