cherogril

English

Etymology

From Latin choerogryllus, from Ancient Greek χοιρογρύλλιος (khoirogrúllios), a compound of χοῖρος (khoîros) and γρῦλος (grûlos), both meaning “pig”. The Greek word was used in the Septuagint to render Hebrew שפן (“hyrax”).

Noun

cherogril (plural cherogrils)

1. (obsolete, rare) A hyrax.
   • 1609, Douay-Rheims Bible, Leviticus 11:5:

     Cherogril which cheweth the cudde, and divideth not the hoofe, is uncleane.

   • 1947, Day, Richard Ellsworth, The Borrowed Glow‎^[1], Philadelphia: Judson Press, page 226:

     Ah, the Conies! Those little cherogrils, or chief-rabbits; tiny, timid, defenseless.

   • 1951, Burton, Maurice, “Hyrax: A Natural Odd Man Out”, in The Illustrated London News‎^[2], volume 218, number 5830, page 58:

     The best-known species [of Hyracoidea] are the Cape-hyrax [...] and the daman or cherogril of Syria