nounWord forms: pluralrock hyraxes or rock hyraces
any agile herbivorous mammal of Africa and SW Asia (Procavia capensis). They resemble rodents but have feet with hooflike toes
rock hyrax in American English
noun
an African and Middle Eastern hyrax of the genus Procavia that lives in rocky places
Word origin
[1950–55]This word is first recorded in the period 1950–55. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Common Market, action painting, allograph, conflict of interest, point spread