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: any of several small African antelopes comprising three genera (Cephalophus, Philantomba, and Sylvicapra)
Examples of duiker in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Forest buffalo, blue duikers, sitatungas and even bongos—forest-dwelling antelopes worshipped as spirits by area inhabitants—graze around bais.
—Zhengyang Wang, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2024
So while the Big Five are in abundance, so are shy red duikers, diminutive suni antelopes, Tonga red squirrels, and 436 bird species.
—Nicola Leigh Stewart, Robb Report, 18 Apr. 2024
Gilroy envisions a tram, part air-conditioned and part open-air, moving park visitors along a 6-mile route to view a collection of wild animals — from primates to Sichuan takin (a goat-antelope) to various kinds of duiker, closely related to antelopes.
—Patrick Danner, San Antonio Express-News, 31 Mar. 2021
Among the modern animals, the duiker came closest to Stegoceras's formidable dome, so beware the hidden strength of this small, shy antelope.
—Valerie Ross, Discover Magazine, 30 June 2011
Clients come to Warthog to hunt (and photograph) all manner of game, from the giant eland to the tiny duiker.
—Mark Jenkins, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Jan. 2023
Scientists there are working on methods to genetically identify meat from primates and duiker antelopes that have been illegally hunted.
—Amber Dance, Discover Magazine, 25 Jan. 2019
Marigold, a female blue duiker, was born on July 24 at the Baltimore zoo, the facility announced Tuesday in a news release.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 9 Aug. 2022
The tiny blue duiker, a species of African antelope, was born to mom Flower, who has birthed three calves, and first-time dad Kuruka.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 9 Aug. 2022
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Word History
Etymology
Afrikaans, literally, diver, from duik to dive, from Middle Dutch dūken; akin to Old High German tūhhan to dive — more at duck entry 2
First Known Use
1777, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near duiker
Cite this Entry
“Duiker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/duiker. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
duiker
noun
dui·ker
ˈdī-kər
: any of several small African antelopes
More from Merriam-Webster on duiker
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about duiker
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