marmoset

[ mahr-muh-set, -zet ]

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.

marmoset

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of marmoset¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of marmoset¹

C14: from Old French marmouset grotesque figure, of obscure origin

Example Sentences

The first analysis of how synaptic proteins change during early development reveals differences between mice and marmosets but also what's different in individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

From Science Daily

Growth and development of fetuses of vaccinated adult marmosets exposed to Zika virus were similar to controls not exposed to the virus.

From Science Daily

Yet the one species of monkey in the group that lacks opposable thumbs, the marmosets, were less likely to be fooled by the trick because they lacked the same digital frame of reference.

From Salon

They were not disappointed either: Of the three monkey species tested, only marmosets were deceived.

From Salon

The world’s tiniest monkeys, called pygmy marmosets, scamper over branches, and the world’s largest rodents, capybaras, loll along riverbanks.

From New York Times