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mouse deer

American  

noun

  1. chevrotain.


mouse deer British  

noun

  1. another name for chevrotain

"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

Etymology

Origin of mouse deer

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Ticks are passive predators of blood—they wait for an unsuspecting mouse, deer or person to brush past the blade of grass they are clinging to.

From Scientific American • Feb. 25, 2022

Wading birds swooped down to the poolside ponds to lance tiny fish from among the lotus flowers, spiny lizards sunned themselves on the trees and mouse deer roamed the grounds.

From Washington Post • Dec. 8, 2016

The mouse deer lives principally upon berries and fruits; but I have seldom found much herbage upon examination of the paunch.

From Eight Years' Wanderings in Ceylon by Baker, Samuel White, Sir

There are five species of the mouse deer, genus Tragulus, all of which belong to Asia.

From Natural History in Anecdote Illustrating the nature, habits, manners and customs of animals, birds, fishes, reptiles, etc., etc., etc. by Various

Next to the red deer is the still more tiny species, the "mouse deer."

From Eight Years' Wanderings in Ceylon by Baker, Samuel White, Sir