lemur

American  

[lee-mer] / ˈli mər /

noun

1. 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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lemur British  

/ ˈliːmə /

noun

1. 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

2. any similar or closely related animal, such as a loris or indris

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Other Word Forms

• lemur-like adjective
• lemurlike adjective

Etymology

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

Example Sentences

One of the world's rarest types of lemur has been successfully bred in Oxfordshire.

From BBC • Oct. 21, 2024

The impact of predation -- combined with low reproductive rates and potentially high inbreeding of the lemur population of Betampona -- could affect the survival of this species at this site.

From Science Daily • Apr. 19, 2024

Not giving up easily, the lemur raises its distinctive black-and-white banded tail and dashes away.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 14, 2023

Although humans don’t naturally hibernate, the ability is found in species from nearly every mammalian lineage, from Madagascar’s fat-tailed dwarf lemur to the arctic ground squirrel.

From Science Magazine • May 24, 2023

Pantalaimon was a lemur, with the biggest eyes he could manage, clinging to Lyra’s shoulder, pressing himself into her fog-pearled hair, peering all around and seeing no more than she did.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman

Related Words

• ape
• baboon
• chimpanzee
• gorilla
• orangutan