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tar·si·er | \ ˈtär-sē-ər 
, -sē-ˌā \
, -sē-ˌā \Definition of tarsier
: any of a genus (Tarsius of the family Tarsiidae) of small chiefly nocturnal and arboreal carnivorous primates of the Malay Archipelago that have large round eyes, long legs, and a long nearly hairless tail
Examples of tarsier in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web Sulawesi is home to species found nowhere else, including vibrant hornbills, miniature water buffalo, tusked deer-pigs and some tarsiers, a small, nocturnal primate.
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Ian Morse, Anchorage Daily News, "Mining turned Indonesian seas red. The drive for greener cars could herald a new toxic tide.," 22 Nov. 2019 Sulawesi is home to species found nowhere else, including vibrant hornbills, miniature water buffalo, tusked deer-pigs and some tarsiers, a small, nocturnal primate.
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Ian Morse, Washington Post, "Mining turned Indonesian seas red. The drive for greener cars could herald a new toxic tide.," 20 Nov. 2019 Researchers have discovered two new species of tarsiers—a type of tiny, giant-eyed primate—on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia.
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Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Two New Species of Googly-Eyed Tarsiers Discovered in Indonesia," 8 May 2017 Ugly-cute animals typically share many of the same exaggerated features as human babies — like the chubby form of a blobfish or the enormous eyes of a tarsier.
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Sarah Watts, The Cut, "What Separates ‘Ugly-Cute’ From Just Ugly," 19 Oct. 2017 But the most impressive aspect of tarsiers are their giant, saucer-like eyes.
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Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Two New Species of Googly-Eyed Tarsiers Discovered in Indonesia," 8 May 2017 But the most impressive aspect of tarsiers are their giant, saucer-like eyes.
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Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Two New Species of Googly-Eyed Tarsiers Discovered in Indonesia," 8 May 2017 A trek through the sanctuary will reward travelers with a glimpse of these quirky animals without disturbing them, thanks to expert tarsier spotters who know their habits.
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Kate Springer, CNN, "Meet the Philippine tarsier: The second-smallest primate on the planet," 24 May 2017 Because its peepers are too big to rotate in their sockets, the tarsier rotates its entire head, similar to the owl—the only primate that can turn its head 360 degrees.
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Myron Shekelle, National Geographic, "Tiny New 'Forest Goblins' Discovered, Look Like Yoda," 4 May 2017
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tarsier.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Time Traveler for tarsier
The first known use of tarsier was circa 1774
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