digitigrade

American  

[dij-i-ti-greyd] / ˈdɪdʒ ɪ tɪˌgreɪd /

adjective

1. walking on the toes, as most quadruped mammals.

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noun

1. a digitigrade animal.

digitigrade British  

/ ˈdɪdʒɪtɪˌɡreɪd /

adjective

1. (of dogs, cats, horses, etc) walking so that only the toes touch the ground

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noun

1. a digitigrade animal

Etymology

Origin of digitigrade

From French, dating back to 1825–35; see origin at digiti-, -grade

Example Sentences

Limbs short, partially digitigrade, with the feet rounded and the toes short, with compressed, acute, semi-retractile claws.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 4 "Carnegie Andrew" to "Casus Belli" by Various

Sem′i-pellū′cid, imperfectly transparent; Sem′ipen′niform, half-penniform; Sem′i-per′fect, nearly perfect; Sem′i-pis′cine, half-fish; Sem′i-plant′igrade, incompletely plantigrade: partly digitigrade; Sem′i-plas′tic, imperfectly plastic.—ns.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various

Their digitigrade walk, sharp muzzle, oblique eyes, and hanging tail, in their wild state, are less conspicuous in domestication, and they then gradually assimilate themselves in appearance to our hounds.

From Anecdotes of the Habits and Instinct of Animals by Weir, Harrison

The thoracic vertebrae number 13; the feet are digitigrade, with five front and four hind toes, of which the claws are retractile; and the metatarsus is haired all round.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 4 "Carnegie Andrew" to "Casus Belli" by Various

Top The much persecuted otter presents himself to our notice among the worm-bodied, digitigrade animals.

From Anecdotes of the Habits and Instinct of Animals by Weir, Harrison