babirusa

Any mammal in the genus Babyrousa in the pig family Suidae, in which the upper tusk grows upward.

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˌbæbəˈɹuːsə/ · Context: US
  • Context: Southern England · Audio

Noun

  1. Any mammal in the genus Babyrousa in the pig family Suidae, in which the upper tusk grows upward.
    • And there are wild pigs, babirusas, with wrinkled skin and impressive upper tusks that instead of growing down, grow up and backwards toward the skull. - 2018 May 17, Hanneke Meijer, The Guardian

    Synonyms: deer-pig pig-deer Indian hog

Origin

From scientific Latin babyroussa (later as specific name), and its source, Malay babi rusa, from babi (“pig”) + rusa (“deer”).

Forms

babirusas babirussa babiroussa babyroussa

Hyponyms

Bola Batu babirusa Buru babirusa Malenge babirusa North Sulawesi babirusa