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tuatara
[ too-uh-tahr-uh ]
noun
- a large, primarily nocturnal, lizardlike reptile, Sphenodon punctatum, of islands near the coast of New Zealand: the only surviving rhynchocephalian.
tuatara
/ ˌtuːəˈtɑːrə /
noun
- a greenish-grey lizard-like rhynchocephalian reptile, Sphenodon punctatus , occurring only on certain small islands near New Zealand: it is the sole surviving member of a group common in Mesozoic times
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Word History and Origins
Origin of tuatara1
1810–20; < Maori, equivalent to tua dorsal + tara spine
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Word History and Origins
Origin of tuatara1
C19: from Māori, from tua back + tara spine
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Example Sentences
The only reptiles in New Zealand are lizards, and a lizard-like animal called Tuatara.
From Project Gutenberg
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