musk hog
- noun
- /mʌsk hɔg/
- US
:
jabalí almizclero
- The distinctive odor comes from the scent glands of the musk hog.
Examples
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Hunters in the region sometimes spot a musk hog foraging at dusk.
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Unlike true pigs, the musk hog has a different dental structure.
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I saw a musk hog at the wildlife reserve.
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The musk hogs are known for their unique behavior.
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In the wild, a group of musk hogs forages for food under the cover of darkness.
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The conservationist worked to protect the musk hog population, which is threatened by habitat loss.
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During our trip to South America, we spotted a musk hog wandering near a riverbank.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A wild pig-like animal in the Americas that lives in groups and is active at night
A dark grey pig-like animal with a faint white neck band living in dry Mexico and the southern US
A large wild pig from Central and South America with black fur, pale cheeks, often in large herds
A large wild animal that looks like a pig and lives in dry parts of central South America, including Paraguay
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound 'musk hog' is directly interpretable as a hog (pig-like animal) characterized by 'musk' (a strong scent), so a learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a pig-like animal associated with musk. This noun–noun composition follows common English compounding patterns for animal names, making the meaning predictable rather than idiomatic.
Etymology
Musk hog comes from two simple words: musk, meaning a strong smell, and hog, meaning a pig. People named this pig-like wild animal for the scent it gives off, so musk hog means a 'pig-like' animal with a noticeable 'musk' smell.