digitigrade meaning: definition, etymology

digitigrade

adj

UK /ˈdɪdʒɪtɪˌɡɹeɪd/ · US /ˈdɪd͡ʒətəɡɹeɪd/

Etymology From French digitigrade, from Latin digitus (“finger, toe, digit”) + -grade (“gait”); compare New Latin digitigradus.

Biology, Natural sciences, Zoology Of an animal: walking on the toes, putting the weight of the body mainly on the ball of the foot, with the back of the foot, or heel, raised.

Biology, Natural sciences, Zoology Of feet or a manner of walking: of, resembling, or pertaining to that of a digitigrade animal.

Biology, Natural sciences, Zoology Obsolete, Specifically Belonging to the Digitigrada of the taxonomic order Carnivora.

Derived terms: digitigradism, digitigrady

digitigrade

noun

Etymology From French digitigrade, from Latin digitus (“finger, toe, digit”) + -grade (“gait”); compare New Latin digitigradus.

Biology, Natural sciences, Zoology In plural A digitigrade animal; an animal that walks on its toes, such as a cat or a dog.

Coordinate terms: plantigrade, unguligrade