tree shrew

noun

: any of a family (Tupaiidae of the order Scandentia) of small southeast Asian mammals that resemble squirrels, are of semiarboreal or terrestrial habit, feed chiefly on insects and fruit, and are sometimes classified as true insectivores or primitive primates

Illustration of tree shrew

Illustration of tree shrew

Examples of tree shrew in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web So, evolutionary forces pressured the plant to tweak its design a bit to entice the tree shrew to pay it a visit and poop into it. Smriti Rao, Discover Magazine, 12 Mar. 2010

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

Word History

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tree shrew was in 1893

Dictionary Entries Near tree shrew

Cite this Entry

“Tree shrew.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tree%20shrew. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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