dassie, noun
/ˈdasi/
- Forms:
- Show more Also darsee, dasja, dasje, dasse, dassee, dassé, dassi, dassy, dossi.
- Origin:
- Afrikaans, South African Dutch, DutchShow more Afrikaans, earlier South African Dutch dasje, diminutive form of Dutch das badger (see -ie).
1. Any of three species of hyrax of the Procaviidae: a. Procavia capensis; also with distinguishing epithet, klipdassie [Afrikaans, klip rock], rock dassie; klipdas sense a; b. Heterohyrax brucei; now often with distinguishing epithet yellow-spotted dassie, yellow-spotted rock dassie; klipdas sense b; c. Dendrohyrax arboreus; also with distinguishing epithet, tree dassie (formerly also boom dassie /bʊəm-/ [Afrikaans, boom tree], bosch dassie [Dutch, bosch see bosch], or bush dassie). In these senses, formerly also called das (sense 1 a). Also attributive.
1809 J. Mackrill Diary. 56Esculent & fit for Food, viz. Cavia capensis — or Darsee, Hystrix the porcupine.
1990 Skinner & Smithers Mammals of Sn Afr. Subregion 561The yellow-spotted rock dassie occupies similar habitat to the rock dassie and in many parts of their distributional range the two species live on the same rocks.
2. [see quotation 1930.] Any of three species of seabream of the Sparidae: a. The blacktail, Diplodus sargus capensis. b. obsolete. rare. The steentjie (sense 1 a), Spondyliosoma emarginatum. c. obsolete. rare. The zebra, Diplodus cervinus hottentotus.
1853 L. Pappe Synopsis of Edible Fishes 22Cantharus Emarginatus..Dasje...Rare in Table Bay but more frequently caught in the several bays to the East of the Cape.
1992 Yeld & Gubb in Afr. Wildlife Vol.46 No.2, 201They (sc. the trek-fishermen) are entitled to take..unlimited quantities of ‘angling’ species such as white steenbras, yellowtail, elf, kob, white stumpnose, dassie and belman during a season.
3. combinations
1890 A. Martin Home Life 257An object of even more superstitious dread is that mysterious and deadly creature — half quadruped, half reptile, and certainly altogether fabulous — the so-called dassie-adder.
1903 D. Blackburn Burgher Quixote 5The Dassie serpent — that great snake with the head of a rabbit and body of a reptile, only seen about the season of Nachtmaal.
Procavia capensis; also with distinguishing epithet, klipdassie [Afrikaans, klip rock], rock dassie; klipdas sense a;
Heterohyrax brucei; now often with distinguishing epithet yellow-spotted dassie, yellow-spotted rock dassie; klipdas sense b;
Dendrohyrax arboreus; also with distinguishing epithet, tree dassie (formerly also boom dassie /bʊəm-/ [Afrikaans, boom tree], bosch dassie [Dutch, bosch see bosch], or bush dassie). In these senses, formerly also called das (sense 1 a). Also attributive.
The blacktail, Diplodus sargus capensis.
The steentjie (sense 1 a), Spondyliosoma emarginatum.
The zebra, Diplodus cervinus hottentotus.
Copyright © 2023 Dictionary Unit for South African English.