babirusa
or bab·i·rous·sa, bab·i·rus·sa
[ bab-uh-roo-suh, bah-buh- ]
/ ˌbæb əˈru sə, ˌbɑ bə- /
noun
an East Indian swine, Babyrousa babyrussa, the male of which has upper canine teeth growing upward through the roof of the mouth and curving toward the eyes, and lower canine teeth growing upward outside the upper jaw.
Origin of babirusa
1690–1700; < Malay, equivalent to
babi pig +
rusa deer
Words nearby babirusa
babington,
babinski,
babinski effect,
babinski's reflex,
babinski's sign,
babirusa,
babism,
babka,
babo's law,
baboo,
baboon
Example sentences from the Web for babirusa
At this time the babirusa may have entered Bouru, since it probably swims as well as its allies the pigs.
The Malay Archipelago |Alfred Russell WallaceNext day we started with our friend into the neighbouring forest, in chase of the babirusa or pig-deer.
In the Eastern Seas |W.H.G. KingstonUnlike ordinary wild pigs, the babirusa produces uniformly coloured young.
I also obtained a skull of the babirusa, one specimen of which was killed by native hunters during my residence at Cajeli.
The Malay Archipelago |Alfred Russell Wallace
British Dictionary definitions for babirusa
babirusa
/ (ˌbɑːbɪˈruːsə) /
noun
a wild pig, Babyrousa babyrussa, inhabiting marshy forests in Indonesia. It has an almost hairless wrinkled skin and enormous curved canine teeth
Word Origin for babirusa
C17: from Malay, from
bābī hog +
rūsa deer