elephant shrew

American  

noun

1. any of several African insectivores of the family Macroscelididae, having long hind legs and a long, sensitive snout.

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elephant shrew British  

noun

1. any small active African mammal of the family Macroscelididae and order Macroscelidea , having an elongated nose, large ears, and long hind legs

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Etymology

Origin of elephant shrew

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

Among the rediscovered animals are two species in Africa: a tiny mouse-size elephant shrew called the Somali sengi in Djibouti, and the Voeltzkow’s chameleon in Madagascar.

From Washington Post • Feb. 14, 2022

But the elephant shrew wasn't this week's only new mammal, as The Guardian reported yesterday that researchers found a new species of wallaby in Papua New Guinea.

From The Verge • Jun. 27, 2014

One of 17 elephant shrew species, the newly discovered mammal weighs up to an ounce and measures about 7.5 inches from snout to tail, Reuters reports.

From The Verge • Jun. 27, 2014

Heralding his forthcoming album “Songs for Unusual Creatures,” this concert will playfully investigate species like the bobfish, the elephant shrew and the blue-footed booby, using instruments like the daxophone, the claviola and the theremin.

From New York Times • Mar. 29, 2012

Another underground-dweller is the elephant shrew of South America.

From The Human Side of Animals by Dixon, Royal