Tasmanian devil
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Definition
Noun: 1. A small, ferocious, carnivorous marsupial: The Tasmanian devil is a mammal native to the island of Tasmania, Australia. It is characterized by its stocky, muscular build, mostly black fur, and a long tail. It is known for its powerful jaws, loud and disturbing screeches, and aggressive feeding behavior.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The Tasmanian devil is the world's largest surviving carnivorous marsupial.
- We saw a Tasmanian devil at the wildlife sanctuary; its screech was incredibly loud.
- Conservation efforts are crucial for protecting the Tasmanian devil from a contagious facial tumor disease.
Advanced Usage
- "to fight like a Tasmanian devil": To fight or argue with extreme ferocity and intensity.
- The two brothers would fight like Tasmanian devils over the last piece of cake.
Variants and Related Words
- Sarcophilus harrisii (n): The scientific (Latin) name for the Tasmanian devil.
- Marsupial (n): A type of mammal, like kangaroos and koalas, where females typically carry and nurse their young in a pouch. The Tasmanian devil is a marsupial.
Synonyms
- Sarcophilus (n): The genus name, sometimes used informally.
- No direct common synonym: It is a specific animal name. Descriptive phrases like "ferocious Tasmanian marsupial" may be used.
Related Idioms
- "Tasmanian devil" as a metaphor: Used to describe a person, especially a child, who is extremely energetic, noisy, or destructive.
- After eating all that sugar, the kids were running around like a bunch of Tasmanian devils.
Noun
- small ferocious carnivorous marsupial having a mostly black coat and long tail