tatouay

Meaning

Noun

• An armadillo (Cabassous tatouay (species)), native to tropical South America; the broad-banded armadillo.

Origin

• From a compound word in a Tupi-Guarani language (compare Guarani tatu-ai), of which the first element is ultimately from Old Tupi tatu. Compare Portuguese tatu, French tatou. The second element (ay or ai) may mean "wound" because of a belief that its fat was used on wounds, or "worthless".