Agutis

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small, herbivorous rodent native to Central and South America, resembling a guinea pig and known for its long legs and short tail
2. A member of the family Dasyproctidae, this creature primarily inhabits forested areas and feeds on plants, fruits, and seeds
3. Known for its burrowing behavior and social structure, this rodent is often found in groups, playing a role in the ecosystem as a seed disperser

Etymology: "Agutis" is simply the plural of "aguti," the form the English word takes when referring to more than one of these animals. The singular "aguti" is the older of the two in use, and it reached English from Spanish, which borrowed it from the Taíno language of the Caribbean, where the animal was known by a name close to this one. Because the word is a plural of a borrowed noun, English speakers keep the familiar pattern of adding "-s" for groups, while the singular keeps the closer shape of its Spanish source.

Synonyms: agoutis