noun
marmoset
MAR-muh-set/ˈmɑːrməset/
A small monkey from Central or South America with claws and a long tail.
A marmoset grips a thin branch with its tiny claws.
Etymology
Old French marmoset meant “grotesque figurine” or “jester,” while English used it for a small monkey and later this particular American kind. The French word’s deeper origin is uncertain.
In context
a pygmy marmoset also known as pocket monkeys or finger monkeys is a small monkey found in the Amazon basin in South America weighing only 3.5 ounces
More examples
- The marmoset's long tail hangs below the branch.
- Several marmosets search the trees for insects and fruit.
- We watch a marmoset carry its baby on its back.
Forms
marmoset · marmosets
Similar words
- monkey
- A broader term covering many species, not just marmosets.
- tamarin
- A closely related small monkey with longer lower canine teeth.