Illustration of loris
- loris a
: any of several nocturnal slow-moving tailless arboreal primates (subfamily Lorisinae): such as
a
: either of two slim-bodied primates (Loris tardigradus or L. lydekkerianus) of southern India and Sri Lanka
b
: any of several larger related primates (Xanthonycticebus pygmaeus or genus Nycticebus) of southeastern Asia that are heavier limbed and slower moving
Examples of loris in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
One night, the team spotted a Mysore slender loris eating some prey, the study said.
—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2025
Sweat glands on the loris’ elbows secrete a toxin that, when licked, can give the primate a poisonous bite, the National Zoo said.
—
Makiya Seminera,
Charlotte Observer,
31 Jan. 2024
The slow loris ranges in size from half a pound (the Bornean variety) to up to four pounds (the Bengal).
—
Allison Futterman,
Discover Magazine,
29 July 2022
At the same time, Nekaris and her colleagues built up local pride and interest in slow lorises by teaching children about the animals and assigning each family an individual slow loris mascot.
—
Rachel Nuwer,
Scientific American,
2 Nov. 2020
See All Example Sentences for loris
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Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2025
Sweat glands on the loris’ elbows secrete a toxin that, when licked, can give the primate a poisonous bite, the National Zoo said.
—
Makiya Seminera,
Charlotte Observer,
31 Jan. 2024
The slow loris ranges in size from half a pound (the Bornean variety) to up to four pounds (the Bengal).
—
Allison Futterman,
Discover Magazine,
29 July 2022
At the same time, Nekaris and her colleagues built up local pride and interest in slow lorises by teaching children about the animals and assigning each family an individual slow loris mascot.
—
Rachel Nuwer,
Scientific American,
2 Nov. 2020
See All Example Sentences for loris
Cite this Entry
“Loris.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loris. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
loris
noun
lo·ris
ˈlōr-əs 
ˈlȯr-
: any of several small slow-moving primates that are active at night and do not have tails
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