[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/tenrec/)

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# tenrec

noun (a tenrec, tenrecs)

«tenrec» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

A small mammal from Madagascar that often looks like a hedgehog or a shrew; some kinds have spines. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tenrec/#m1)

### In the lessons

In science and nature lessons tenrecs are an example of convergent evolution: they look like hedgehogs but are not closely related; they evolved spines separately on the island of Madagascar. Some tenrecs rattle their quills to talk to each other, and some have many babies at once. They come up in lessons on islands, adaptation and unusual animals.

### Examples

- The tenrec looks like a tiny hedgehog. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tenrec/#x1)
- Tenrecs live only in Madagascar and a little of Africa. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tenrec/#x2)
- The streaked tenrec rattles its spines to talk. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tenrec/#x3)
- A tenrec is not a hedgehog, even though it looks like one. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tenrec/#x4)
- Some tenrecs swim in streams like little otters. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tenrec/#x5)
- The zoo has a lowland tenrec in the night house. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tenrec/#x6)

### Note

Countable: a tenrec, tenrecs. Pronounced TEN-rek. Not a hedgehog or porcupine; it belongs to a group of African mammals. Not to be mixed up with "tenner" (UK slang for ten pounds).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «tenrec» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tenrec/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«tenrec» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/tenrec.html) on Mova free.