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; see -i-, -grade

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

plantigrade

Feet bear-like, but soles more hairy, and perhaps less completely plantigrade.

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

“There are some other plantigrade animals besides bears?” said Ivan, interrogatively; “our badger and glutton, for instance?”

From Bruin The Grand Bear Hunt by Zwecker, Johann Baptist

His capacity of raising himself erect gives him this advantage; and from his great plantigrade posterior paws, combined with his powerful muscular legs, he can pitch forward with a velocity surprising as it is unexpected.

From Bruin The Grand Bear Hunt by Zwecker, Johann Baptist

This, of course, would give a weak foot, suited to slow progression over marshy ground—which, as we have seen, was no doubt the origin of the mammalian plantigrade foot.

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

Hind-feet plantigrade with the first toe very short, and the four other toes subequal, and carrying moderate, curved, compressed nails.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 10 "Echinoderma" to "Edward" by Various