chevrotain

noun

chev·​ro·​tain

ˈshevrəˌtān

variants or less commonly chevrotin

-ˌtan

plural -s

: any of several very small hornless deerlike ruminant mammals of tropical Asia, the Malay archipelago, and West Africa superficially resembling the musk deer, the male having short tusks, and being among the smallest known ruminants, standing only about a foot high

called also mouse deer

see water chevrotain

Word History

Etymology

French, diminutive of chevrot kid, fawn, from Middle French, diminutive of chèvre goat

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