Dictionary

aye-aye en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio
• /ˈaɪˌaɪ/

Etymology

From French aye-aye, from Malagasy aiay (also ahay, haihay or hay-hay in dialect), supposedly imitative of the animal's cry. However, this is doubted by Simons and Myers (2001) who note that the animal does not emit such a sound. They suggest a derivation from Malagasy heh heh (“I don't know”), used by the Malagasy people to avoid naming the animal, which they fear.

Meanings

1. The lemur Daubentonia madagascariensis, a solitary nocturnal quadruped found in Madagascar and remarkable for their long fingers, sharp nails, and rodent-like incisor teeth.
   • He does look a bit odd, what with those parachute ears and the round, mad, yellow, staring pop-eyes and the oversize forepaws hung so awkwardly close to his chest. He's named the aye-aye, which probably does not improve the image. But he's a lemur, hence a primate and a cousin to man. A resident of Madagascar, he is threatened with extinction; there are no more than 50 aye-ayes in all the world. 1968 May 24, Michael Mok, “The Aye-Aye, Man’s Imperiled Cousin”, in George P. Hunt, editor, Life, volume 64, number 21, Chicago, Ill.: Time, Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 102, column 1:
   • Of the other members of this group, the Aye Aye (Cheiromys), the Tarsier (Tarsius), the Propithecus, the Indri (Lichanotus), and the Cheirogaleus, are desiderata of which we can only hope to become possessed by the future exertions of zoologists who may obtain access to the countries in which they live. 1858, D[avid] W[illiam] Mitchell, Guide to the Gardens of the Zoological Society of London, London: Bradbury and Evans, 11, Bouverie Street, and at the [Zoological] Society [of London]'s Gardens in the Regent's Park, →OCLC, page 41:
   • The true position of that very rare animal the Aye-aye, seems very doubtful, some naturalists placing it in the position which it occupies in this work, and others, such as [Jan] [v]an der Hoeven, considering it to form a link between the monkeys and the rodent animals. […] It is probable that the natural food of the Aye-aye, like that of the preceding animals, is of a mixed character, and that it eats fruit and insects indiscriminately. In captivity it usually fed on boiled rice, which it picked up in minute portions, like Amine in the "Arabian Nights," using, however, its slender fingers in lieu of the celebrated bodkin with which she made her mock meal. 1865, J[ohn] G[eorge] Wood, “Quadrumana; or, The Monkey Tribe”, in The Illustrated Natural History, volume I (Mammalia), London: George Routledge and Sons, Broadway, Ludgate Hill; New York, 129, Grand Street, →OCLC, page 110:
   • Refer the following to their respective orders and families:—anteater, ayeaye, canary, cinchilla, dodo, flamingo, flying fox, giraffe, hornbill, lyre bird, mole, paradise bird, porpoise, swift, walrus. 1864, Edward P[ercival] Wright, “Moderatorships in Experimental and Natural Science[: Zoology]”, in Dublin Examination Papers: Being a Supplement to the University Calendar for the Year 1864, Dublin: Printed at the University Press, Hodges, Smith, & Co., Grafton-Street, booksellers to the University; London: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, & Green, →OCLC, page 228:
   • The other of these aberrant forms is the cheiromys, or aye-aye, which, from the peculiar form of its two lower front teeth, has been ranged with the Rodentia. In the general character, however, it is essentially a lemur; […] 1849, “Order II.—Quadrumana, [from the Latin, quatuor, four, and manus, hand; four-handed.]”, in D[avid] M[eredith] Reese, editor, Elements of Zoology; or, Natural History of Animals. From the Last Edinburgh Edition (Chambers' Educational Course; [no. 6]), 3rd American edition, New York, N.Y.: Published by A[lfred] S[mith] Barnes & Co. No. 51 John Street; Cincinnati, Oh.: H. W. Derby & Co., →OCLC, page 57:

Forms

Translations (62)

eu aie-aie (nocturnal quadruped) · nl vingerdier (nocturnal quadruped) · kk ай-ай (nocturnal quadruped) · pl palczak madagaskarski (nocturnal quadruped) · nv bílaneezii (nocturnal quadruped) · el άι-άι (nocturnal quadruped) · ja 指猿 (nocturnal quadruped) · sh madagaskarski prstaš (nocturnal quadruped) · lt laibapirštiniai (nocturnal quadruped) · ja アイアイ (nocturnal quadruped) · et aie (nocturnal quadruped) · vi khỉ aye-aye (nocturnal quadruped) · mg aiay (nocturnal quadruped) · pa ਆਏ-ਆਏ (nocturnal quadruped) · it aye-aye (nocturnal quadruped) · gl aie aie (nocturnal quadruped) · ru руконо́жка (nocturnal quadruped) · fi ai-ai (nocturnal quadruped) · fr aye-aye (nocturnal quadruped) · ca ai-ai (nocturnal quadruped) · sco aye-aye (nocturnal quadruped) · ml അയ്-അയ് (nocturnal quadruped) · tr ay-ay (nocturnal quadruped) · bg ай-а́й (nocturnal quadruped) · he איי איי (nocturnal quadruped) · no fingerdyr (nocturnal quadruped) · hu aje-aje (nocturnal quadruped) · uk руконіжка (nocturnal quadruped) · it aié-aié (nocturnal quadruped) · fa آی-آی (nocturnal quadruped) · it chiromio (nocturnal quadruped) · pl palczak (nocturnal quadruped) · az əlayaqlılar (nocturnal quadruped) · ko 아이아이 (nocturnal quadruped) · ro ai (nocturnal quadruped) · ka ხელფეხა (nocturnal quadruped) · lv slaidpirkstainis (nocturnal quadruped) · udm ай-ай (nocturnal quadruped) · sv fingerdjur (nocturnal quadruped) · uz aye-aye (nocturnal quadruped) · sh aj-aj (nocturnal quadruped) · ru ай-а́й (nocturnal quadruped) · hy այ-այ (nocturnal quadruped) · ar آيْآي (nocturnal quadruped) · cmn 指猴 (nocturnal quadruped) · th อาย-อาย (nocturnal quadruped) · eo fingrobesto (nocturnal quadruped) · mr आय-आय (nocturnal quadruped) · fi sormieläin (nocturnal quadruped) · pnb آئی-آئی (nocturnal quadruped) · de Aye-Aye (nocturnal quadruped) · ro aye-aye (nocturnal quadruped) · cs ksukol ocasatý (nocturnal quadruped) · da aye aye (nocturnal quadruped) · de Fingertier (nocturnal quadruped) · pt aie-aie (nocturnal quadruped) · hu véznaujjú maki (nocturnal quadruped) · lt laibapirštis (nocturnal quadruped) · sh aye-aye (nocturnal quadruped) · id aye-aye (nocturnal quadruped) · ga aidhe-aidhe (nocturnal quadruped) · uk ай-а́й (nocturnal quadruped)

wikipedia: International Union for Conservation of Nature · wikipedia: Species Survival Commission

aye-aye en · INTJ · etymology 2

Meanings

1. (alt-of, alternative) Alternative form of aye aye.
   alt of aye aye
   • “I thought I could just deliver a lecture and they were going to say ‘Aye-aye,’ ” [Phil] Lehman said, reflecting on his first days at Manos. “That couldn’t have been farther from the truth.” 2013 March 16, Brett Hambright, “Manos House director recalls success stories”, in Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era, 6th year, number 14, Lancaster, Pa.: Lancaster Newspapers, →OCLC, page B1, column 4:
   • “Shiver me timbers,” I said to my husband, Peter, “we’re off to Greenwich in southeast London.” / “What the heck are you talking about?” he asked, scowling. / “Pirates,” I said. / “Aye-aye,” he said, “let’s go.” 1992 May 23, Suzanne Cassidy, “Across the Pond: Practical lore from west of Pittsburgh”, in Lancaster New Era, 116th year, number 36,054, Lancaster, Pa., →OCLC, page A-11, column 1:
   • “[…] When someone asks you to do something, you do it. All right?” / “Yes,” they said. / “Thank you,” Lise said, looking forward again. “That goes for you too, buster.” / “Aye-aye,” Ken said. 2002, Stewart O’Nan, chapter 2, in Wish You Were Here (Emily Maxwell; 1), New York, N.Y.: Grove Press, →ISBN, page 22:
   • “I have a thought that doth annoy my soul,” he may reply. “For teacher tells us all that we should leave the schoolhouse naturally, and furthermore says she is hep that only convicts must keep step, or men who play the soldiers game (which she believes is much the same”). / “Aye-aye, my son,” I said, “proceed.” 1915 September 26, Dean Collins, “Gleams Through the Mist”, in The Sunday Oregonian, volume XXXIV, number 39, Portland, Ore., →ISSN, →OCLC, section 3 (Editorial and Society), page 6, column 7: