quadruped
Americanadjective
noun
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of quadruped
1640–50; < Latin quadruped- (stem of quadrupēs ), equivalent to quadru- quadru- + -ped- -ped
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How does quadruped compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A squirrel, a zebra, a deer, a wolf, and a grizzly bear meet in a field. Yes, a disaster in the making, but also a bunch of quadrupeds — animals that walk on four feet. Cut quadruped in half and it makes sense: quadru means four, like when a woman births four babies they are called quadruplets. And –ped is for the feet: think of centipedes and millipedes, insects that have so many feet it’s disturbing. A human is a biped because they walk on two feet. If you meet a human with four feet, you could call him a quadruped. You could also call the circus and let them know their quadruped is loose.
Vocabulary lists containing quadruped
40 SAT words Beginning with "Q"
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Body Language: Ped, Pod ("Foot")
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"Ode to the Table" by Pablo Neruda
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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.
US President Donald Trump's administration on Tuesday added humanoid and quadruped robots to a list of products and companies that are banned from being imported into the United States on national security grounds.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
It cites State Grid’s 6.8 billion yuan order for 500 humanoid robots, 3,000 dual-arm robots and 5,000 quadruped robots as an example.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
Several other cities have followed: Chengdu deployed a mixed squad of quadruped and humanoid robots, Shenzhen is testing humanoids that shake hands with passersby, and a Wenzhou model literally rolls.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026
Some firms, external have also been working to weaponise dog-like quadruped robots, though we haven't seen them too much in active warfare yet notes Fankhauser.
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026
He had been compared to every monster and beast, from that of the Revelations to the most insignificant quadruped.
From The Second War with England, Vol. 1 of 2 by Joel Tyler Headley
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
