marmoset

Noun

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

  1. small soft-furred South American and Central American monkey with claws instead of nails
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Marmoset \Mar"mo*set`\ (m[aum]r"m[-o]*z[e^]t`; 277), n. [F. marmouset a grotesque figure, an ugly little boy, prob. fr. LL. marmoretum, fr. L. marmor marble. Perhaps confused with marmot. See Marble.] (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of small South American monkeys of the genera Hapale and Midas, family Hapalidae. They have long soft fur, and a hairy, nonprehensile tail. They are often kept as pets. Called also squirrel monkey. [1913 Webster]
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