cuscus

/ ˈkʌskʌs /

noun

1. any of several large nocturnal phalangers of the genus Phalanger, of N Australia, New Guinea, and adjacent islands, having dense fur, prehensile tails, large eyes, and a yellow nose

Word History and Origins

Origin of cuscus¹

C17: New Latin, probably from a native name in New Guinea

Example Sentences

Bear cuscuses - which are not bears at all - are reclusive and only a few keepers and no members of the public are allowed near them.

From Washington Times

Those include the dwarf cuscus, a large-eyed marsupial; the anoa, a midget buffalo; the Sulawesi crested black macaque, locally known as yaki; and the babirusa, or deer-pig, which is renowned for its large tusks.

From New York Times

The bear cuscus, which does not have the name, was born to a pair who have been at Wroclaw Zoo for three years, according to the park.

From Reuters

The cuscus hangs on by its fingertips—or its curling, prehensile tail.

From Economist

The South Pacific voyage of the northern common cuscus was likely involuntary, and likely ended—unhappily for the cuscus—in a cooking fire.

From The New Yorker