marmoset

noun

mar·​mo·​set ˈmär-mə-ˌset 

-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

Examples of marmoset in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the grand scheme of things, that is the blink of a marmoset’s eye. —Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 May 2026

Shibuya’s team is already pursuing an effort to repeat the experiment in other animals, including lizards, hamsters, marsupials, marmosets and macaques, although these results have not yet been published. —Humberto Basilio, Scientific American, 3 Dec. 2025

Officials found in his cargo undeclared endangered species: two cockatoos, eight Amazon parrots, a capuchin monkey, and two small marmosets. —Rene Ebersole, Rolling Stone, 18 Nov. 2025

Guests can purchase day passes to swim with dolphins, feed stingrays, and interact with otters and marmosets. —Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 23 July 2025

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

1679, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for marmoset

• alphabet
• arpanet
• bassinet
• bayonet
• biuret
• cigarette
• clarinet
• coronet
• coverlet
• dataset
• epithet
• ethernet

Kids Definition

marmoset

noun

mar·​mo·​set ˈmär-mə-ˌset 

-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