Tasmanian devil
noun
Tas·ma·nian devil
(ˌ)taz-ˈmā-nē-ən- 
-nyən-
: a heavily built carnivorous nocturnal Tasmanian marsupial (Sarcophilus harrisii) that is about the size of a badger and has powerful jaws and teeth and a chiefly black coat marked with white on the chest
Examples of Tasmanian devil in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Even before the outbreak, Tasmanian devils faced challenges.
—
Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Aug. 2025
Animals in the Australian zone include emus, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, wombats and koalas.
—Carrie Shepherd, Axios, 18 July 2024
The egg-laying mammals also have to contend with predators, which can include hawks, eagles, Tasmanian devils, snakes and dingoes.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Feb. 2024
While Australia does have an impressive array of particularly charismatic examples — Tasmanian devils, kangaroos, koalas, wombats, wallabies and bandicoots, to name a few — these comprise roughly 70 percent of the world’s population, with the other 30 percent hailing from the Americas.
—Natasha Frost, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2023
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Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Aug. 2025
Animals in the Australian zone include emus, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, wombats and koalas.
—Carrie Shepherd, Axios, 18 July 2024
The egg-laying mammals also have to contend with predators, which can include hawks, eagles, Tasmanian devils, snakes and dingoes.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Feb. 2024
While Australia does have an impressive array of particularly charismatic examples — Tasmanian devils, kangaroos, koalas, wombats, wallabies and bandicoots, to name a few — these comprise roughly 70 percent of the world’s population, with the other 30 percent hailing from the Americas.
—Natasha Frost, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Tasmanian devil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Tasmanian%20devil. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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