lemur
[ lee-mer ]
/ ˈli mər /
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noun
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.
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Origin of lemur
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
OTHER WORDS FROM lemur
le·mur·like, adjectiveWords nearby lemur
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for lemur
British Dictionary definitions for lemur
lemur
/ (ˈliːmə) /
noun
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
any similar or closely related animal, such as a loris or indris
Derived forms of lemur
lemur-like, adjectiveWord Origin for lemur
C18: New Latin, adapted from Latin lemurēs ghosts; so named by Linnaeus for its ghost-like face and nocturnal habits
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