a large armadillo, Cabassous tatouay, of South America
Word origin
C16: from Spanish tatuay, from Guarani tatu ai, from tatu armadillo + ai worthless (because inedible)
tatouay in American English
(ˈtætuːˌei, ˌtɑːtuːˈai)
noun
a naked-tailed armadillo, Cabassous unicintus, of tropical South America
Word origin
[1825–35; ‹ Sp tatuay ‹ Pg ‹ Guarani tatu-ai, equiv. to tatu armadillo + ai worthless, lazy]This word is first recorded in the period 1825–35. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: archaic, breakdown, cross section, structural, torque