English edit

 
a black and rufous sengi (Rhynchocyon petersi)

Etymology edit

From Swahili sengi. First used in print in English by Jonathan Kingdon in 1997.[1]

Pronunciation edit

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈsɛŋɡi/
  • (file)

Noun edit

sengi (plural sengis)

  1. An elephant shrew (family Macroscelidae).
    • 2007, George A. Feldhamer, Lee C. Drickamer, Stephen H. Vessey, Joseph F. Merritt, Carey Krajewski, Mammalogy: Adaptation, Diversity, Ecology, 3rd edition, page 251:
      Sengis feed on insects and other animal and plant material. [] Young sengis are highly precocial at birth—they will forage 1 day after birth (figure 12.14).
    • 2007, Marian Armstrong, Wildlife and Plants, volume 9, page 540:
      The order formerly known as Insectivora included solenodons; shrews; moles and desmans; hedgehogs and moonrats or gymnures; golden moles, tenrecs, and otter shrews; and sengis or elephant shrews.
    • 2010, Joseph F. Merritt, The Biology of Small Mammals, page 237:
      Like small African antelopes, sengis spend their life exposed to the elements while relying on disruptive coloration to act as camouflage from the plethora of African predators.
  2. A former (1967-1993) monetary unit of Zaire, 1/100 of a likuta.

References edit

  1. ^ Rathbun, G. B. and Kingdon, J. 2006. The etymology of 'sengi'. Afrotherian Conservation — Newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group 4:14-15

Anagrams edit

Norwegian Nynorsk edit

Noun edit

sengi f

  1. (non-standard since 2012) definite singular of seng

Welsh edit

Alternative forms edit

Verb edit

sengi (first-person singular present sangaf, not mutable)

  1. (transitive) to trample, tread on, stamp down
    Synonym: sathru
  2. (transitive) to push in, insert

Conjugation edit

Derived terms edit

Related terms edit

Further reading edit

  • R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “sengi”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies