chevrotain

[shev-ruh-teyn, -tin]

noun

1. any very small, deerlike ruminant of the family Tragulidae, of Africa, tropical Asia, the Malay Peninsula, etc.

chevrotain

/ ˈʃɛvrəˌteɪn, -tɪn /

noun

1. Also called: mouse deer. any small timid ruminant artiodactyl mammal of the genera Tragulus and Hyemoschus, of S and SE Asia: family Tragulidae. They resemble rodents, and the males have long tusklike upper canines

Word History and Origins

Origin of chevrotain¹

< French, apparently Buffon's alteration of chevrotin roe deer under the age of six months, equivalent to Middle French chevrot kid ( chevre goat ( chevon ) + -ot diminutive suffix) + -in -ine ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of chevrotain¹

C18: from French, from Old French chevrot kid, from chèvre goat, from Latin capra, feminine of caper goat

Example Sentences

An Nguyen, who led the search in the field, says that three populations of the chevrotain were found.

Read more on Washington Post

The baby chevrotain, born on Nov. 10, is the size of a large matchbox and weighs around 100 grams.

Read more on Reuters

Conservationists said they plan to put camera traps in two additional areas to figure out the size and stability of this population of chevrotains, as well as threats to their survival.

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Tilker says people living near the forests were aware of the silver-backed chevrotain’s existence, and helped the researchers to plant camera traps in places the animal was likely to visit.

Read more on Nature

Researchers had no reason to think the silver-backed chevrotain had gone extinct.

Read more on Seattle Times