prosimian
noun
pro·sim·i·an
prō-ˈsi-mē-ən 
: any of a suborder (Prosimii) of lower primates (such as lemurs and lorises)
Note: The suborder Prosimii is now infrequently used in taxonomic classification. Most species, with the exception of the tarsiers, formerly grouped in the suborder Prosimii are now classified in the suborder Strepsirrhini.
prosimian
adjective
Examples of prosimian in a Sentence
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Sifakas — neither monkey nor ape but a prosimian from Madagascar — increase their consumption of tannin-rich plants while pregnant or breast-feeding.
—
Jesse Hawley, Discover Magazine, 6 Jan. 2021
Lemurs represent an evolutionary path not taken, prosimians that never evolved into anything else.
—Tom Downey, WSJ, 18 July 2018
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Jesse Hawley, Discover Magazine, 6 Jan. 2021
Lemurs represent an evolutionary path not taken, prosimians that never evolved into anything else.
—Tom Downey, WSJ, 18 July 2018
Cite this Entry
“Prosimian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prosimian. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prosimian
noun
pro·sim·i·an
(ˈ)prō-ˈsim-ē-ən
: a mammal (as a lemur) that is one of the lower primates
prosimian
adjective
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