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

It was formerly classed with the racoons, which it superficially resembles; and, as Jerdon remarks, it may be considered as a sort of link between the plantigrade and digitigrade carnivora.

From Natural History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon by Sterndale, Robert Armitage

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

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

For the majority of mammals are what has been called digitigrade.

From Darwin, and After Darwin (Vol. 1 and 3, of 3) An Exposition of the Darwinian Theory and a Discussion of Post-Darwinian Questions by Romanes, George John

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