desman

See also: desmán

English

a Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus)

Etymology

From French desman, German Desman, from Swedish desmanråtta (“muskrat”), from desman (“musk”). desman is most probably derived from Late Latin bisamum (“musk”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈdɛsmən/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

Noun

desman (plural desmans)

1. Either of two species, Desmana moschata or Galemys pyrenaicus, of aquatic or semi-aquatic insectivore of the mole family, Talpidae, found in Europe.
   • 1995, R. David Stone, editor, Eurasian Insectivores and Tree Shrews: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan, page 50:

     Unlike the Russian desman, the Pyrenean species lives along fast-flowing mountain streams.

   • 2007, George A. Feldhamer, Lee C. Drickamer, Stephen H. Vessey, Joseph F. Merritt, Carey Krajewski, Mammalogy: Adaptation, Diversity, Ecology, 3rd edition, page 250:

     Restricted to the Old World, desmans have a diet consisting of aquatic invertebrates and fish.

   • 2010, Joseph F. Merritt, The Biology of Small Mammals, page 38:

     With the aid of its Eimer's organs, the desman was able to detect engraved lines only one-fifteenth of a millimeter (0.067 mm, or 0.002 inches) in depth and width. There are two extant species of desmans: the Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus), weighing about 65 g (2.3 oz) (fig 2.10), and the larger Russian desman (Desmana moschata), weighing 500 g (17.6 oz).

Derived terms

• Iberian desman (Galemys pyrenaicus)
• Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus)
• Russian desman (Desmana moschata)

Translations

insectivore of the mole family

• Asturian: aguanzón (ast), fedegosa (ast), ratu de ríu (ast)
• Bashkir: йофар (yofar)
• Bulgarian: мускусен плъх (muskusen plǎh)
• Catalan: almesquera f
• Chuvash: йӑпӑр (jăp̬ăr)
• Danish: please add this translation if you can
• Eastern Mari: вӱдшашке (vüdšaške)
• Erzya: чара (čara)
• Finnish: vesikontiainen (fi), vesimaamyyrä
• French: desman (fr) m
• German: Desman (de) m, Bisamrüssler (de) m (uncommon)
• Kazakh: жұпартышқан (jūpartyşqan)
• Lithuanian: kurmėnas m
• Polish: chochoł (pl) m, desman (pl) m, wychuchol m
• Portuguese: toupeira-de-água f
• Romanian: desman (ro) m
• Russian: вы́хухоль (ru) f (výxuxolʹ)
• Spanish: desmán m
• Swedish: myskmus c
• Tatar: җофа́р (cofár)

Anagrams

• Amends, Amsden, Edmans, amends, amends., demans, menads

French

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

desman m (plural desmans)

1. desman

Derived terms

• desman des Pyrénées
• desman de Moscovie
• desman de Russie
• desman russe

Further reading

• “desman”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Occitan

Noun

desman m (plural desmans)

1. Galemys pyrenaicus) (Pyrenean desman)

Synonyms

• [1]: rat trompeta

Polish

desman

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdɛs.man/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛsman
• Syllabification: des‧man

Noun

desman m animal

1. desman (any insectivore of the tribe Desmanini)

   Synonyms: chochoł, wychuchol

Declension

Declension of desman

	singular	plural
nominative	desman	desmany
genitive	desmana	desmanów
dative	desmanowi	desmanom
accusative	desmana	desmany
instrumental	desmanem	desmanami
locative	desmanie	desmanach
vocative	desmanie	desmany

Further reading

• desman in Polish dictionaries at PWN
• desmany in PWN's encyclopedia

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French desman.

Noun

desman m (plural desmani)

1. desman

Declension

Declension of desman

	singular		plural
	indefinite articulation	definite articulation	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(un) desman	desmanul	(niște) desmani	desmanii
genitive/dative	(unui) desman	desmanului	(unor) desmani	desmanilor
vocative	desmanule		desmanilor