tree shrew
1
8.4
- noun
- /tri ʃru/
- Philippine
:
musaraña arborícola
- The tree shrew is often found in tropical rainforests.
Examples
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Although called a shrew, the tree shrew is not closely related to true shrews.
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Researchers observed a tree shrew using its sharp snout to search for insects under the bark.
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The tree shrew is known for its agility as it moves among the branches in the rainforest.
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Have you ever seen a tree shrew in the wild?
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In the lush forests of Southeast Asia, the tree shrew can be seen leaping between branches in search of insects to eat.
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Researchers have documented the behavior of tree shrews, noting their unique adaptations for climbing and foraging in trees.
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Many visitors to the zoo enjoy watching the tree shrew as it scampers along the branches in its habitat display.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A small mammal that lives in trees in Southeast Asia
A group of small mammals that live in trees in Southeast Asia
A small brown mammal from Malaysia with a bare tail and long stiff hairs at the tip
A group of small, squirrel-like mammals that live in trees in Southeast Asia
A group of small mammals called tree shrews that live in trees and are active during the day
A group of small mammals that includes tree shrews
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is fully compositional: 'tree' specifies the arboreal habitat and 'shrew' names the small mammal, so the meaning is a shrew that lives in trees. This pattern (modifier + animal) is cross-linguistically common and would be immediately inferable by a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.
Etymology
Tree shrew comes from a simple picture: a small animal that lives in trees and looks like a shrew, combining tree for where it lives and shrew for a small, mouse-like animal. So, it means 'a small animal that lives in trees and looks like a shrew'.