thylacine
thylacine Lexical Profile
thylacine Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Australian An extinct carnivorous marsupial that was native to Tasmania, mainland Australia, and New Guinea, characterized by a dog-like head, a stiff tail, and distinctive dark transverse stripes radiating from the top of its back.
"Museum exhibits often feature preserved specimens of the thylacine to educate the public about modern extinction events caused by human activity."
Word Nuance & Usage
Although commonly referred to as the Tasmanian tiger or Tasmanian wolf due to its striped back and canid-like appearance, the thylacine was completely unrelated to both felines and canines, being a marsupial.
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Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the 1820s from Modern Latin 'Thylacinus', derived from the Ancient Greek word 'thúlakos' (pouch or sack)—referring to the female's marsupial pouch—combined with the suffix '-ine' (pertaining to).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.