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

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

But the digitigrade modification necessitated a change of structural plan, to the extent of raising the wrist and ankle joints off the ground, so as to make the quadruped walk on its fingers and toes.

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

Limbs rather long, especially the anterior pair, digitigrade, four subequal toes on each, with stout non-retractile claws, the first toes being represented by rudimentary metacarpal and metatarsal bones.

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