elephant shrew

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noun

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

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Question 1 of 7

Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?

First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.

First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.

First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.

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Origin of elephant shrew

First recorded in 1865–70

Words nearby elephant shrew

elephantoid fever, elephants, elephant seal, elephant's-ear, elephant's-foot, elephant shrew, elephant's-trunk snake, eletriptan hydrobromide, Eleusinian, Eleusinian mysteries, Eleusis

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for elephant shrew

Marcel the elephant takes readers on a journey through his life, recounting his memories full of travel and adventure.
The Daily Beast’s 2014 Holiday Gift Guide: For the Blue Ivy in Your Life|Allison McNearney|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This video, shot in Zambia, shows a young elephant being attacked by a pride of 14 lions.
Young Elephant Takes on 14 Lions and Survives!|Alex Chancey, The Daily Beast Video|November 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
By 1998, their star elephant, Kenny, became ill and was ordered not to perform by a circus veterinarian.
How the Circus Got a Social Conscience|Justin Jones|November 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Read another way, she is a horrible mother, an uptight snob, and a bit of a shrew.
Colm Toibin Describes The Creation Of His Quiet Masterpiece ‘Nora Webster’|Jennie Yabroff|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The gentle, erudite soul within a body the public considered an oddity is the contrast at the heart of “The Elephant Man.”
The True Story of ‘The Elephant Man’|Russell Saunders|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The female elephant killed by our hunters at this time was a comparatively small one.
Hunting the Lions|R.M. Ballantyne
The elephant ran straight on and went right through the whole party, but came near no one.
Hunting the Lions|R.M. Ballantyne
The elephant did not follow, but the hunters, having discovered her retreat, were not slow to follow and attack her.
Hunting the Lions|R.M. Ballantyne
But he soon got over his fear, and was so busy feeding the elephant, that his papa had to coax him away.
The Nursery, July 1873, Vol. XIV. No. 1|Various
Suddenly the Elephant trumpeted aloud as though men had goaded him.
Kipling Stories and Poems Every Child Should Know, Book II|Rudyard Kipling

British Dictionary definitions for elephant shrew

elephant shrew

noun

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

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

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elephant shrew

noun

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Origin of elephant shrew

Words nearby elephant shrew

Example sentences from the Web for elephant shrew

British Dictionary definitions for elephant shrew

noun