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Glite Dictionary
New World beaver

New World beaver

4.9
A large animal from North America that lives near water, builds dams, and has a wide flat tail
  • noun
  • /nuː wɜrld ˈbiːvər/
  • US
translation icon : castor americano
  • The New World beaver is known for its impressive dam-building skills.

Examples

  • Unlike the Eurasian species, the New World beaver has a more rounded tail.

  • The New World beaver is found throughout North America except for parts of Florida.

  • Scientists study the impact of New World beavers on wetland environments.

  • Have you ever seen a New World beaver in the wild?

  • The New World beaver is found throughout North America except for parts of Florida.

  • Scientists study the impact of New World beavers on wetland environments.

  • The New World beaver is known for its impressive dam-building skills.

Synonyms

beaver
vsNew World beaver
26 1.0

A large water rodent with webbed back feet and a wide, flat tail that builds dams

is the North American species distinct from Eurasian relatives
Castor canadensis
vsNew World beaver
  • Specialized
8.2

A large rodent native to North America that lives in water and builds lodges and dams

is the common name for that species rather than the scientific name

Surface Forms

New World beaver singular
New World beavers plural

Morphology

New + world + beaver

The phrase combines the toponymic unit 'New World' (meaning the Americas) with 'beaver', so its meaning 'a beaver native to the New World/Americas' is directly derivable from the constituents. 'New World' as a geographic label is common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows 'new', 'world', and 'beaver' would readily infer the intended sense.

Etymology

New World beaver gets its name from early European explorers who called the Americas the 'New World'. So New World shows where the animal lives and beaver is the animal, meaning a beaver from the Americas rather than from Europe.