Meanings
plural tuco-tucos · alternative tucotuco · alternative tucutuco · alternative tucu-tuco
- Any of the caviomorph South American rodents of the genus Ctenomys, which have a large head, small ears, and hairy tail.
The tuco-tuco is a vegetarian rodent very similar in appearance and behaviour to the ground squirrel.
2011, Erin McCloskey, Argentina, page 562 more examples
Tuco-tucos groom themselves to remove loose sand from their fur by combing with the stiff bristles that grow near the bases of the hind claws.
2002, Maurice Burton, Robert Burton, editors, International Wildlife Encyclopedia, 3rd edition, volume 20: Tree squirrel - water spider, New York: Marshall Cavendish, page 2772The eyes of tuco-tucos are almost level with the top of the head, which is adaptive for surveying the horizon from their shelter without exposing themselves to predators.
2010, Joseph F. Merritt, The Biology of Small Mammals, page 76
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Spanishtuco-tuco
- Englishtuco-tuco
Borrowed from Spanish tuco-tuco. Onomatopoeic.
More words from Spanish
Full word history & related roots →Translations
French rat à peigne
- rat à peigneTranslations
German Tukotuko, Kammratte
- TukotukoTranslations
- KammratteTranslations
Polish tukotuko
- tukotukoTranslations
Spanish tucutuco
- tucutucoTranslations
Cite this entry
tuco-tuco. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tuco-tuco
“tuco-tuco.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tuco-tuco. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tuco-tuco,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tuco-tuco.
Source: tuco-tuco on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.