plantigrade

[plan-ti-greyd]

adjective

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

noun

1. a plantigrade animal.

plantigrade

/ ˈplæntɪˌɡreɪd /

adjective

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

noun

1. a plantigrade animal

plantigrade

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

Other Word Forms

• subplantigrade adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of plantigrade¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of plantigrade¹

C19: via French from New Latin plantigradus, from Latin planta sole of the foot + gradus a step

Example Sentences

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

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The clavicle is rudimentary, but, as an example of the complete development of this bone in plantigrade quadrupeds, we may cite the marmoset.

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

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

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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.

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