forelimb

American  

[fawr-lim, fohr-] / ˈfɔrˌlɪm, ˈfoʊr- /

noun

1. a front limb of an animal.

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forelimb British  

/ ˈfɔːˌlɪm /

noun

1. either of the front or anterior limbs of a four-limbed vertebrate: a foreleg, flipper, or wing

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Etymology

Origin of forelimb

First recorded in 1785–95; fore- + limb ¹

Example Sentences

Interestingly, researchers were even able to change the forelimb preference of the mice.

From Science Daily • Feb. 25, 2024

The sheer force of their thousand-pound bodies pummels the dirt track's hazardous slings — but only after first funneling through the narrow cabling of their spindly forelimb ligaments.

From Salon • Jun. 10, 2023

Since 2016, he had some discomfort and lameness in his right forelimb, zoo officials said.

From Washington Post • Oct. 21, 2022

Meanwhile, while that research gets off the ground, dinosaur enthusiasts can currently visit Dakota’s right forelimb, left foot and tail at the North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum, Boyd said.

From Scientific American • Oct. 14, 2022

Left forelimb, showing characters of both a crossopterygian fin and an amphibian foot.

From A New Order of Fishlike Amphibia From the Pennsylvanian of Kansas by Eaton, Theodore H. (Theodore Hildreth)