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Definition of dassie

dassie

/ˈdæsi/
das · sie
Plural:dassies
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dassie Lexical Profile

dassie Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

South African A small, herbivorous mammal of the order Hyracoidea, native to Africa and the Middle East, characterized by a stout body, short legs, and a lack of a tail, often found living in rocky habitats.

Example

"While taking the cable car up Table Mountain, the tourists were delighted to spot a dassie basking on a sunlit ledge."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for dassie

Word Nuance & Usage

The term 'dassie' is primarily used in South African English; in broader scientific or international contexts, the animal is typically referred to as a rock hyrax.

• Rhymes for dassie

• Nearby Words

dashing
dashingly
dashlight
dassie
dastardly
data
databank

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Afrikaans 'dassie', a diminutive of the Dutch word 'das' (meaning 'badger'), as early Dutch settlers in South Africa mistakenly thought the animals resembled small badgers.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Dassie. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/dassie
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