tenrec

[ ten-rek ]

noun

1. any of several insectivorous mammals of the family Tenrecidae, of Madagascar, having a long, pointed snout, certain species of which are spiny and tailless.

tenrec

/ ˈtɛnrɛk /

noun

1. any small mammal, such as Tenrec ecaudatus ( tailless tenrec ), of the Madagascan family Tenrecidae, resembling hedgehogs or shrews: order Insectivora (insectivores)

Word History and Origins

Origin of tenrec¹

1720–30; < French < Malagasy tàndraka

Word History and Origins

Origin of tenrec¹

C18: via French from Malagasy tràndraka

Example Sentences

Some people can also echolocate by clicking their tongues, a behavior shared by only a few other animals, including tenrecs, a shrew-like animal from Madagascar, and the Vietnamese pygmy dormouse, which is effectively blind.

From National Geographic

It shows a Madagascar hedgehog tenrec taking a dust bath.

From Washington Post

Let’s say the markhor has a 73 percent chance of winning against the streaked tenrec.

From The Verge

Makaela, 16, was full of information about the tenrec, a mammal found in Madagascar and parts of the African mainland.

From Washington Times

Anteaters, hedgehoglike animals called tenrecs, and rabbitlike hyraxes are doing fine, but gaurs, sloth bears, Bactrian camels, and bearded pigs are not.

From Science Magazine