altricial

al·tri·cial

A0234000 (ăl-trĭsh′əl)adj. Hatched or born with the eyes closed and with little or no down or hair, and requiring parental care. Used of birds and mammals.

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[From Latin altrīx, altrīc-, feminine of altor, nourisher, from alere, to nourish; see al- in Indo-European roots.]

altricial

(ælˈtrɪʃəl) adj (Zoology) (of the young of some species of birds after hatching) naked, blind, and dependent on the parents for foodn (Animals) an altricial bird, such as a pigeon[C19: from New Latin altriciālis, from Latin altrix a nurse, from alere to nourish]

al•tri•cial

(ælˈtrɪʃ əl)

adj. (of an animal species) helpless at birth or hatching and requiring parental care for a period of time (opposed to precocial). [1870–75; < Latin altrīc-, s. of altrīx wet nurse, nourisher = (al(ere) to nourish (compare aliment) + -trīx -trix) + -al¹]

Thesaurus

Adj.

1.

altricial - (of hatchlings) naked and blind and dependent on parents for foodprecocial - (of hatchlings) covered with down and having eyes open; capable of leaving the nest within a few days