any of several species of small mammals of the order Hyracoidea, of Africa and the Mediterranean region, having short legs, ears, and tail, and hooflike nails on the toes.
[Afrikaans, diminutive of das, badger, from Middle Dutch; see teks- in Indo-European roots.]
hy·rax (hī'rāks') n.
pl.hy·rax·es or hy·ra·ces (-rə-sēz') Any of several herbivorous mammals of the family Procaviidae within the order Hyraoidea of Africa and adjacent Asia, resembling woodchucks or similar rodents but more closely related to the hoofed mammals. Also called coney1, dassie.