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: any of several small African antelopes comprising three genera (Cephalophus, Philantomba, and Sylvicapra)
Examples of duiker in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Forest buffalo, blue duikers, sitatungas and even bongos—forest-dwelling antelopes worshipped as spirits by area inhabitants—graze around bais.
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Zhengyang Wang, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2024
So while the Big Five are in abundance, so are shy red duikers, diminutive suni antelopes, Tonga red squirrels, and 436 bird species.
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Nicola Leigh Stewart, Robb Report, 18 Apr. 2024
Gilroy envisions a tram, part air-conditioned and part open-air, moving park visitors along a 6-mile route to view a collection of wild animals — from primates to Sichuan takin (a goat-antelope) to various kinds of duiker, closely related to antelopes.
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Patrick Danner, San Antonio Express-News, 31 Mar. 2021
Among the modern animals, the duiker came closest to Stegoceras's formidable dome, so beware the hidden strength of this small, shy antelope.
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Valerie Ross, Discover Magazine, 30 June 2011
Clients come to Warthog to hunt (and photograph) all manner of game, from the giant eland to the tiny duiker.
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Mark Jenkins, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Jan. 2023
Scientists there are working on methods to genetically identify meat from primates and duiker antelopes that have been illegally hunted.
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Amber Dance, Discover Magazine, 25 Jan. 2019
Marigold, a female blue duiker, was born on July 24 at the Baltimore zoo, the facility announced Tuesday in a news release.
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Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 9 Aug. 2022
The tiny blue duiker, a species of African antelope, was born to mom Flower, who has birthed three calves, and first-time dad Kuruka.
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Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 9 Aug. 2022
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Word History
Etymology
Afrikaans, literally, diver, from duik to dive, from Middle Dutch dūken; akin to Old High German tūhhan to dive — more at duck entry 2
First Known Use
1777, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near duiker
Cite this Entry
“Duiker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/duiker. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.
Kids Definition
duiker
noun
dui·ker
ˈdī-kər
: any of several small African antelopes
More from Merriam-Webster on duiker
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about duiker
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