tapir

(pər)

noun pl. tapirs or tapir

any of a family (Tapiridae) of large, hoofed, hoglike perissodactylous mammals of tropical America and the Malay Peninsula: tapirs have flexible snouts, feed on plants, and are active at night

Origin: Sp < Tupí tapyra, large mammal, tapir

See tapir in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
Any of several large, chiefly nocturnal, odd-toed ungulates of the genus Tapirus of tropical America, the Malay Peninsula, and Sumatra, related to the horse and the rhinoceros, and having a heavy body, short legs, and a long, fleshy, flexible upper lip.

Origin:

Origin: Perhaps French

Origin: , ultimately from Tupi tapiira, tapir

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