marmoset

American  

[mahr-muh-set, -zet] / ˈmɑr məˌsɛt, -ˌzɛt /

noun

1. any of several small, squirrellike, South and Central American monkeys of the genera Callithrix, Cebuella, etc., having soft fur and a long, nonprehensile tail: some species are endangered.

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marmoset British  

/ ˈmɑːməˌzɛt /

noun

1. any small South American monkey of the genus Callithrix and related genera, having long hairy tails, clawed digits, and tufts of hair around the head and ears: family Callithricidae

2. a related form, Cebuella pygmaea: the smallest monkey, inhabiting tropical forests of the Amazon

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Etymology

Origin of marmoset

1350–1400; Middle English marmusette a kind of monkey, an idol < Old French marmouset, apparently equivalent to marmos ( er ) to murmur ( marm- ( see marmot) + -oser v. suffix) + -et -et

Example Sentences

Is the marmoset JPG mine, or do I own a database entry that says I have a claim to a certain marmoset JPG?

From Slate • Jan. 14, 2022

The only other non-human mammal that scientists have documented babbling is the pygmy marmoset, a small South American primate species that is not capable of vocal imitation.

From Salon • Aug. 28, 2021

Staff at the rescue centre said it was "an emotional scene" when TikTok cried out to a female marmoset called Clydie, who has since been caring for him alongside her partner Ronnie.

From BBC • Jul. 30, 2021

Xita, a Rondon’s marmoset, was rescued after giving birth in Porto Velho, Brazil, in August.

From The Guardian • Oct. 9, 2020

The Master looked at the gray-haired lady with the marmoset dæmon in her lap, and a flicker of amusement passed between them.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman