a nocturnal lemur, Daubentonia madagascariensis, of Madagascar, feeding on insects and fruit, and having rodentlike incisors and long fingers: an endangered species.
Origin: 1775–85; < French < Malagasyaiay, probably imitative of its cry
a rare nocturnal arboreal prosimian primate of Madagascar, Daubentonia madagascariensis, related to the lemurs: family Daubentoniidae. It has long bony fingers and rodent-like incisor teeth adapted for feeding on insect larvae and bamboo pith
[C18: from French, from Malagasy aiay, probably of imitative origin]