Tasmanian devil

noun

Tas·​ma·​nian devil (ˌ)taz-ˈmā-nē-ən- 

-nyən-

: a heavily built carnivorous nocturnal Tasmanian marsupial (Sarcophilus harrisii) that is about the size of a badger and has powerful jaws and teeth and a chiefly black coat marked with white on the chest

Examples of Tasmanian devil in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Animals in the Australian zone include emus, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, wombats and koalas. —Carrie Shepherd, Axios, 18 July 2024

The egg-laying mammals also have to contend with predators, which can include hawks, eagles, Tasmanian devils, snakes and dingoes. —Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Feb. 2024

While Australia does have an impressive array of particularly charismatic examples — Tasmanian devils, kangaroos, koalas, wombats, wallabies and bandicoots, to name a few — these comprise roughly 70 percent of the world’s population, with the other 30 percent hailing from the Americas. —Natasha Frost, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1867, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

Tasmanian devil

noun

Tas·​ma·​ni·​an devil

(ˌ)taz-ˌmā-nē-ən-

: a burrowing marsupial of Tasmania that eats other animals, is about the size of a small dog, and has powerful jaws and a mostly black coat