aye-aye

[ ahy-ahy ]

/ ˈaɪˌaɪ /

noun

a nocturnal lemur, Daubentonia madagascariensis, of Madagascar, feeding on insects and fruit, and having rodentlike incisors and long fingers: an endangered species.

Nearby words

ayckbourn, aycliffe, aydelotte, aydin, aye, aye-aye, ayer, ayers rock, ayerza's disease, ayerza's syndrome, ayesha

Origin of aye-aye

1775–85; < French < Malagasy aiay, probably imitative of its cry

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for aye-aye

The aye-aye, in every point of its structure, like every created thing, is full of design.
Heads and Tales|Various
Sometimes, however, they catch it by mistake, finding an aye-aye in a trap which has been set for lemurs.
The Animal World, A Book of Natural History|Theodore Wood
After dancing and roaring till he was tired he picked up the aye-aye and marched on, talking loud.
The Woodlands Orchids|Frederick Boyle
Aye-aye (ī-ī; Cheirŏmys madagascariensis), an animal of Madagascar, so called from its cry; now referred to the lemur family.
The New Gresham Encyclopedia. Vol. 1 Part 3|Various

Just at sunset the aye-aye crept from under his blanket, yawned, stretched and betook himself to his tree.
Natural History in Anecdote|Various

British Dictionary definitions for aye-aye

aye-aye

/ (ˈaɪˌaɪ) /

noun

a rare nocturnal arboreal prosimian primate of Madagascar, Daubentonia madagascariensis, related to the lemurs: family Daubentoniidae. It has long bony fingers and rodent-like incisor teeth adapted for feeding on insect larvae and bamboo pith

Word Origin for aye-aye

C18: from French, from Malagasy aiay, probably of imitative origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012