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foreleg

American  
[fawr-leg, fohr-] / ˈfɔrˌlɛg, ˈfoʊr- /

noun

  1. one of the front legs of a quadruped, an insect, etc.


foreleg British  
/ ˈfɔːˌlɛɡ /

noun

  1. either of the front legs of a horse, sheep, or other quadruped

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of foreleg

First recorded in 1375–1425, foreleg is from the late Middle English word forlegge. See fore-, leg

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The elephant was reported to be underweight, have rough skin and abscesses on both hips, thinning foot pads, and a stiff left foreleg, making it difficult for him to walk and stand.

From Washington Times Jul. 2, 2023

The elephant was reported to be underweight, have rough skin and abscesses on both hips, thinning footpads, and a stiff left foreleg, making it difficult for the animal to walk and stand.

From Seattle Times Jul. 2, 2023

The horse had injured a tendon in a foreleg overnight.

From New York Times May 21, 2016

Charismatic had taken a misstep in the stretch and suffered fractures in his left foreleg.

From Washington Post Jun. 5, 2015

A groom dipped bandages in ice water laced with Epsom salts and wound them around the left foreleg.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

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