Felis concolor
- noun
- /ˈfɛlɪs kɒnˈkɒlər/
- Specialized
:
Felis concolor
- In 1771, the scientist named the cougar Felis concolor due to its uniform coat.
Examples
-
The cougar, or Felis concolor, is often seen in the mountainous regions of North America.
-
Felis concolor, the American Puma.
-
Wildlife documentaries often feature the Felis concolor hunting in the wild for its prey.
Synonyms
26
2.5
A large wild cat with light brown fur and a long tail that lives in mountains and forests
22
3.6
A large wild cat in North and South America with a light brown coat and no spots or stripes
12
3.2
A large wild cat from the Americas with light brown fur
1
9.9
A large North American wild cat like a cougar or lynx
A large wild cat that lives in North American mountains
Surface Forms
Morphology
Felis + concolor
This is a Latin scientific binomial rather than a regular English phrase; an average B1 learner who only knows the listed constituents would not be able to derive 'cougar' from them. While 'Felis' hints at a cat genus, 'concolor' has no dictionary entry here and taxonomic Latin naming conventions are not transparently interpretable by general learners, making the overall meaning unpredictable from the parts.
Etymology
Felis concolor comes from Latin words: Felis means 'cat' and concolor means 'one color'. The name paints a simple picture of the cougar's plain, tan coat, so it is used as the scientific name for the mountain lion.