bush baby
1
8.4
- noun
- /bʌʃ ˈbeɪbi/
- South African
:
galago
- Thick-tailed bush babies are widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa—from Angola, in the west, to Somalia, in the east, to Natal, South Africa.
- bush baby with a tail
- thick-tailed bush baby
Examples
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All in all, we have identified a complex repertoire of eighteen thick-tailed bush baby calls, any one of which can transmit at least five different messages.
Academic text (1995) -
In Madagascar, the nocturnal bush baby is known for its agility and playful nature.
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Some really cute bush babies!
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In the presence of a potential predator, a disturbed bush baby will make knocking and moaning sounds.
Academic text (1995) -
One of the galagos we have come to know well is the thick-tailed bush baby, which gets its name from its infant-like cries.
Academic text (1995) -
When a bush baby is actually under attack, it gives a blood-curdling yell that induces other bush babies in the group to come to its defense.
Academic text (1995) -
Opposite page: Its reflective eyes aglow in the photographer's lights, a thick-tailed bush baby pauses on a tree limb in Kenya.
Academic text (1995) -
The bush baby leaped from branch to branch, its large eyes shining in the moonlight.
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When the bush baby heard a rustling in the bushes, it quickly hid behind a tree.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A small African primate with large eyes, big ears, and a long tail that is active at night
A small African night animal like a monkey with big eyes, big ears and a long tail
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound 'bush baby' is composed of very transparent, high-frequency nouns: 'bush' (habitat) + 'baby' (small/young), so a B1 learner who knows both words will likely infer it denotes a small animal associated with bushes. However, the specific reference to a particular nocturnal primate (galago) is a language-specific species name and not fully predictable from the parts, so full understanding of the exact referent requires prior exposure.
Etymology
The noun bush baby likely comes from a simple picture: a small, wide-eyed animal that lives in the bush and looks like a baby. That's why people use the name today for the little African primate active at night.