Definition of fossorial in English:
fossorial
adjective fɒˈsɔːrɪəlfɑˈsɔriəl
Zoology 1(of an animal) burrowing.
Example sentencesExamples
- Most mammals employing this behavior are subterranean, rather than simply fossorial; most fossorial mammals are limited to scratch digging.
- There is considerable behavioral evidence to suggest that certain fossorial mammals do use the seismic channel to glean information about their surroundings.
- The means of intraspecific communication in the insectivorous fossorial mammals clearly needs to be examined in more detail and is not addressed further here.
- For instance, because rodents drum with feet that are also used for digging, footdrumming may have originated as a ritualized form of digging behavior, especially in fossorial mammals.
- The only Australian fossorial mammal is the marsupial mole, Notoryctes typhlops (order Notoryctimorphia, family Notoryctidae).
- 1.1 (of limbs) adapted for use in burrowing.
Example sentencesExamples
- In insects with fossorial legs the fore legs and tibiae are specialized for digging.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from medieval Latin fossorius (from Latin fossor 'digger', from fodere 'to dig') + -al.
Definition of fossorial in US English:
fossorial
adjectivefäˈsôrēəlfɑˈsɔriəl
Zoology 1(of an animal) burrowing.
Example sentencesExamples
- For instance, because rodents drum with feet that are also used for digging, footdrumming may have originated as a ritualized form of digging behavior, especially in fossorial mammals.
- The only Australian fossorial mammal is the marsupial mole, Notoryctes typhlops (order Notoryctimorphia, family Notoryctidae).
- Most mammals employing this behavior are subterranean, rather than simply fossorial; most fossorial mammals are limited to scratch digging.
- The means of intraspecific communication in the insectivorous fossorial mammals clearly needs to be examined in more detail and is not addressed further here.
- There is considerable behavioral evidence to suggest that certain fossorial mammals do use the seismic channel to glean information about their surroundings.
- 1.1 (of limbs) adapted for use in burrowing.
Example sentencesExamples
- In insects with fossorial legs the fore legs and tibiae are specialized for digging.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from medieval Latin fossorius (from Latin fossor ‘digger’, from fodere ‘to dig’) + -al.