tarsier
noun
-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
Researchers have discovered two new species of tarsiers—a type of tiny, giant-eyed primate—on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. — 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. — 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. — 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. — 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. — 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. — Myron Shekelle, National Geographic, "Tiny New 'Forest Goblins' Discovered, Look Like Yoda," 4 May 2017 Overall, the majority of tarsier species are now endangered or threatened, and some are designated critically endangered, according to Endangered Species International. — Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, "Another real-life 'Yoda' discovered in Indonesia," 4 May 2017 Hence anthropoid primates probably evolved from a tarsier-like ancestor over 40 million years ago. — Brian Switek, WIRED, "Preening the History of Primates," 30 Jan. 2012These 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.
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on tarsier
What made you want to look up tarsier? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Late Autumn 2018 Words of the Day Quiz
-
- Which is a synonym of yahoo?
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Share tarsier
Resources for tarsier