indri

noun

in·​dri ˈin-drē How to pronounce indri (audio)
plural indris
: a large diurnal black-and-white lemur (Indri indri) of Madagascar that is about two feet long with a rudimentary tail

Illustration of indri

Illustration of indri

Examples of indri in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web At first, researchers seized on the connection between the teeth of sloth lemurs and those of a radically different lemur, the indri. Carl Zimmer, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019 The indri uses its powerful thighs to push off from tree to tree like a ricocheting bullet. Carl Zimmer, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019 Our distant primate relative, the Indri indri, is a critically endangered species of lemur found only in Madagascar. Sam Jones, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2021 In fact, indri rhythm can be the same as human rhythm, says Ravignani, who studies bioacoustics at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics. Sara Harrison, Wired, 21 Dec. 2021 The indri is a lemur, a primate with opposable thumbs; a short tail; and round, tufted, teddy-bear-like ears. Sara Harrison, Wired, 21 Dec. 2021 The indri's singing sounds like lower and higher howling pitches that pierce through the air. Megan Marples, CNN, 25 Oct. 2021 Tip: To see Madagascar's largest species of lemurs, the indri, trek to the Andasibe National Park. National Geographic, 21 June 2019 With huge eyes, long tails, and a face somewhere between a squirrel and a cat, lemurs range from the 3-foot indri to Madame Berthe's mouse lemur, which weighs about the same as an AA battery. National Geographic, 21 June 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'indri.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, from Malagasy indry look!

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of indri was in 1839

Dictionary Entries Near indri

Cite this Entry

“Indri.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indri. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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