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plantigrade

[ plan-ti-greyd ]
/ ˈplæn tɪˌgreɪd /
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adjective
walking on the whole sole of the foot, as humans and bears.
noun
a plantigrade animal.
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Origin of plantigrade

First recorded in 1825–35; from French plantigrade (noun), from New Latin plantigradus, equivalent to Latin plant(a) “sole of the foot” + -i- + -gradus; see -i-, -grade

OTHER WORDS FROM plantigrade

sub·plan·ti·grade, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use plantigrade in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for plantigrade

plantigrade
/ (ˈplæntɪˌɡreɪd) /

adjective
walking with the entire sole of the foot touching the ground, as, for example, man and bears
noun
a plantigrade animal

Word Origin for plantigrade

C19: via French from New Latin plantigradus, from Latin planta sole of the foot + gradus a step
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for plantigrade

plantigrade
[ plăntĭ-grād′ ]

Walking with the entire sole of the foot on the ground, as humans, bears, raccoons, and rabbits.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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