Lemur Definition
(zoology) The genus Lemur, represented by the ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta).
Other Word Forms of Lemur
Noun
Origin of Lemur
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From Latin lemurÄ“s (pl. only), "spirits of the dead". The name was originally given to the slender loris (then Lemur tardigradus) in 1754 by Carl Linnaeus. According to Linnaeus, the name was selected because of the nocturnal activity and slow movements of the slender loris. In 1758, Linnaeus added"”among others"”the ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) to the genus Lemur. All other species, including the slender loris, were eventually moved to other genera. In time, the word became the colloquial name for all primates endemic to Madagascar.
From Wiktionary
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From Latin lemurÄ“s (“spirits of the dead"). The name was originally given to the slender loris (then Lemur tardigradus) in 1754 by Carl Linnaeus. According to Linnaeus, the name was selected because of the nocturnal activity and slow movements of the slender loris. In 1758, Linnaeus added"”among others"”the ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) to the genus Lemur. All other species, including the slender loris, were eventually moved to other genera. In time, the word became the colloquial name for all primates endemic to Madagascar.
From Wiktionary
New Latin Lemur genus name back-formation from Latin Lemurēs lemures (from their ghostly appearance and their nocturnal habits)
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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