plantigrade

American  

[plan-ti-greyd] / ˈplæn tɪˌgreɪd /

adjective

1. walking on the whole sole of the foot, as humans and bears.

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noun

1. a plantigrade animal.

plantigrade British  

/ ˈplæntɪˌɡreɪd /

adjective

1. walking with the entire sole of the foot touching the ground, as, for example, man and bears

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noun

1. a plantigrade animal

plantigrade Scientific  

/ plăn′tĭ-grād′ /

1. Walking with the entire sole of the foot on the ground, as humans, bears, raccoons, and rabbits.

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Other Word Forms

• subplantigrade adjective

Etymology

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; -i-, -grade

Example Sentences

Bears are plantigrade Carnivora, but they live largely on fruit and insects.

From Project Gutenberg

They are therefore called plantigrade, from the analogy, in this case, of the palm of the hand to the plantar surface, or sole of the foot.

From Project Gutenberg

The badger is a plantigrade, that is, when travelling he puts down the whole of his foot, including the heel, flat on the ground.

From Project Gutenberg

Now that his cub has returned he probably doesn't care for the other plantigrades of his kind.

From Project Gutenberg

The short feet of the penguins are quite plantigrade, in adaptation to which habit the metatarsals lie in one plane and are incompletely co-ossified, thus presenting a pseudo-primitive condition.

From Project Gutenberg