The Collaborative International Dictionary
Tapir \Ta"pir\, n. [Braz. tapy'ra: cf. F. tapir.] (Zo["o]l.) Any one of several species of large odd-toed ungulates belonging to Tapirus, Elasmognathus, and allied genera. They have a long prehensile upper lip, short ears, short and stout legs, a short, thick tail, and short, close hair. They have three toes on the hind feet, and four toes on the fore feet, but the outermost toe is of little use.
Note: The best-known species are the Indian tapir ( Tapirus Indicus), native of the East Indies and Malacca, which is black with a broad band of white around the middle, and the common American tapir ( Tapirus Americanus), which, when adult, is dull brown. Several others species inhabit the Andes and Central America.
Tapir tiger (Zo["o]l.), the wallah.
Malayan tapir \Malayan tapir\ n. (Zool.) A large inoffensive chiefly nocturnal ungulate ( Tapirus indicus) of tropical America and Southeast Asia having a heavy body and fleshy snout.
Syn: Indian tapir, Tapirus indicus.
Usage examples of "tapirus indicus".
Nor had they done more than touch upon some aspects of Java, with Pulo Prabang still to come (though the bird-skins and the deeply interesting foot-bones of Tapirus indicus had been shown), when they heard the cry of 'Land ho!