potto

noun

pot·​to ˈpä-(ˌ)tō How to pronounce potto (audio)
plural pottos
: any of several African primates (genus Perodicticus)
especially : a nocturnal slow-moving arboreal primate (P. potto) with woolly brownish fur and a vestigial index finger

Word History

Etymology

perhaps from Wolof pata, a tailless monkey

First Known Use

1763, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of potto was in 1763

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Cite this Entry

“Potto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/potto. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.

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