mouse deer
- noun
- /maʊs dɪr/
- Specialized
:
ratón de campo
- The mouse deer is known for its small size and distinct appearance, often blending into the tropical underbrush.
Examples
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In one such instance, a man, with the help of his dog, took a mouse deer in the course of a pig hunt.
Academic text (1993) -
During our trip to the rainforest, we spotted a rare mouse deer quietly grazing among the ferns.
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Conservationists are working to protect the habitat of the mouse deer, as it plays an important role in the ecosystem.
Synonyms
Very small, hornless animal like a deer that lives in tropical Asia and West Africa
A very small animal with hooves like a tiny deer from forests in South and Southeast Asia
How Big
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a straightforward noun–noun compound: a B1 learner who knows 'mouse' (small rodent) and 'deer' (hoofed mammal) can infer the referent is a very small deer or a deer-like animal with mouse-like smallness. The meaning is literal and compositional (denoting size/likeness), a common compounding pattern across languages, so the expression is immediately understandable from its parts.
Etymology
Mouse deer probably comes from the clear picture it gives: a very small animal that looks like a mouse but is actually a deer. That's why the name means 'a very small deer'.