marmoset

noun

mar·​mo·​set ˈmär-mə-ˌset How to pronounce marmoset (audio)
-ˌzet
: any of numerous small soft-furred South and Central American monkeys (family Callithricidae) with claws instead of nails on all the digits except the big toe

Illustration of marmoset

Illustration of marmoset

Examples of marmoset in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The team repeatedly performed the French drop for 24 monkeys from three species– capuchins, squirrel monkeys, and marmosets. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 4 Apr. 2023 Native to Brazil, marmosets subsist on a diet of insects and the gum or sap from trees, experts say. Mitchell Willetts The Charlotte Observer (tns), al, 26 Jan. 2023 Male marmosets and tamarins lose weight while carrying the young. Time, 17 June 2023 Juvenile marmosets are resilient against social isolation if they are given ayahuasca before their families are taken away. Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Feb. 2023 The owner of the marmoset is charged with propagation and holding of wildlife without a permit, documents show. Mitchell Willetts The Charlotte Observer (tns), al, 26 Jan. 2023 An autopsy found that the marmoset did not have rabies. Mitchell Willetts The Charlotte Observer (tns), al, 26 Jan. 2023 The smallest of the them all – the pygmy marmoset, no bigger than a hand – is also the latest to evolve. Discover Magazine, 17 Mar. 2011 An owl monkey, with a brain twice as large as a marmoset, actually has twice as many neurons — whereas doubling the size of a rodent brain often yields only 20 to 30 percent more neurons. Douglas Fox, Discover Magazine, 20 Aug. 2018 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'marmoset.' 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

Middle English marmusette kind of monkey, from Middle French marmoset grotesque figure, from marmouser to mumble, of imitative origin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of marmoset was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near marmoset

Cite this Entry

“Marmoset.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marmoset. Accessed 22 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

marmoset

noun
mar·​mo·​set ˈmär-mə-ˌset How to pronounce marmoset (audio)
-mə-ˌzet
: any of numerous South and Central American monkeys that have soft fur, a bushy tail, and claws instead of nails except on the big toe

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