Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Lepus leporis

Lepus leporis

9.9
A scientific name for a type of hare
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Lepus leporis
  • The scientific name Lepus leporis refers to a specific species of hare.

Examples

  • Scientists studied the behavior of Lepus leporis in the wild to understand its adaptation strategies.

  • The fur color of Lepus leporis changes with the seasons for better camouflage.

  • Conservation efforts are underway to protect the habitat of Lepus leporis from human encroachment.

  • Did you know that Lepus leporis is commonly found in North America?

  • Biologists have identified Lepus leporis as a crucial species in maintaining the ecosystem's balance.

  • The rabbit known scientifically as Lepus leporis exhibits unique behaviors during mating season.

  • Researchers published a paper detailing the life cycle of Lepus leporis and its role in the food chain.

Surface Forms

Lepus leporis singular

Morphology

Lepus + leporis

This is a Latin binomial (scientific) name rather than a compositional English phrase. Knowing 'Lepus' as a genus of hares does not let a B1 learner infer the full taxonomic meaning or the role of the second element (here unrecoverable as 'leporis' is not a lexical English word), and understanding requires knowledge of scientific naming conventions/Latin morphology, so the meaning is not derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Lepus leporis comes from old Latin words for a 'hare': Lepus means 'hare' and leporis shows 'of the hare'. Scientists use Latin names like this to name a single 'species', so the name tells you it is a kind of 'hare'.