tarsier

[ tahr-see-er, -see-ey ]

/ ˈtɑr si ər, -siˌeɪ /

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noun

any member of the three genera (Carlito, Cephalopachus, Tarsius) of the family Tarsiidae, inhabiting Indonesia, the Philippines, and other Southeast Asian islands, characterized as a small, arboreal, nocturnal primate with velvety fur, very large eyes, a long tail, and very long hind limbs: all populations are dwindling and considered vulnerable to extinction.

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Origin of tarsier

First recorded in 1770–75; from French, equivalent to tarse “ankle bones, tarsus” + -ier; so named for its extremely long tarsi by Georges Buffon; see origin at tarsus, -ier²

Words nearby tarsier

tarsal, tar sand, tarseal, Tarshish, tarsia, tarsier, Tarski, tarso-, tarsometatarsus, tarsus, tart

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use tarsier in a sentence

This cute-in-a-creepy-way endangered primate, the tarsier, would make a perfect haunted doll or possessed pet.
9 creatures that have made spookiness their brand|Elana Spivack|October 22, 2021|Popular-Science
The first of these is the tarsier, which is found in several of the larger islands in the Malay Archipelago.
The Animal World, A Book of Natural History|Theodore Wood
Tarsier, tr′si-er, n. a small arboreal East Indian lemuroid, the malmag.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements)|Various
Altogether, the tarsier scarcely looks like an animal at all.
The Animal World, A Book of Natural History|Theodore Wood

The estimate is for thirty-five little tarsier-eyed creatures.
Black Eyes and the Daily Grind|Milton Lesser
The tarsier (Tarsius spectrum) is a small, kitten-faced animal with long hind legs, which enable it to leap like a frog.
Natural History in Anecdote|Various

British Dictionary definitions for tarsier

tarsier

/ (ˈtɑːsɪə) /

noun

any of several nocturnal arboreal prosimian primates of the genus Tarsius, of Indonesia and the Philippines, having huge eyes, long hind legs, and digits ending in pads to facilitate climbing: family Tarsiidae

Word Origin for tarsier

C18: from French, from tarse the flat of the foot; see tarsus

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