noun
tapir
TAY-per/ˈteɪpər/
A stout tropical mammal with a short, flexible snout.
The tapir uses its flexible snout to pull leaves from a branch.
Etymology
Tupi tapira was already a name for this animal. The English word preserves that Indigenous Brazilian name for the tropical hoofed mammal.
In context
… this unusual looking creature in the underbrush is a tapir it's upper lip and nose form a short trunk with a very good sense of smell …
More examples
- A tapir slips into the river and swims across.
- Young tapirs have striped and spotted coats.
- We watched a tapir eat fruit at the zoo.
Forms
tapir · tapirs