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
Compare meaning
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.
No Hunting of Quadrupeds, a sign read in Belle Chasse.
From The Guardian • Sep. 23, 2017
In the mid-19th century, he turned his attention to mammals, documenting species ranging from the mountain lion to the flying squirrel in The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America.
From Architectural Digest • Jan. 13, 2015
And though Audubon traveled widely as he worked on “The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America,” he spent enough time at Minniesland to refer to it as “my dear home” in a journal entry for Sept.
From New York Times • May 3, 2011
As well-versed Audubon fans know, the painter devoted his later years to an ambitious series entitled Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America.
From Time Magazine Archive
The last page of Volume I contains an advertisement of the fourth edition of "A General History of Quadrupeds," 1800, "In the Preſs, and ſpeedily will be publiſhed," etc.
From A Catalogue of Books in English Later than 1700 (Vol 1 of 3) Forming a portion of the library of Robert Hoe by Various
Definitions 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.
