tarsier

noun

tar·​si·​er ˈtär-sē-ər How to pronounce tarsier (audio) -sē-ˌā How to pronounce tarsier (audio)
: any of a 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

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Along with various tarsiers and lemurs, these monkeys were the main inspiration for my initial drawings. — Jamie Lang, Variety, 26 Jan. 2025 This gives tarsiers excellent night vision, just at the expense of their ability to see color well. — Max Bennett, Discover Magazine, 23 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, from tarse tarsus, from New Latin tarsus

First Known Use

circa 1774, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tarsier was circa 1774

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“Tarsier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tarsier. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

tarsier

noun
tar·​si·​er ˈtär-sē-ər How to pronounce tarsier (audio) -sē-ˌā How to pronounce tarsier (audio)
: any of several small tree-dwelling primate mammals of a group of islands of southeastern Asia that are related to the lemurs, are active at night, and have large eyes and a long tail

More from Merriam-Webster on tarsier

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tarsier

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