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Glite Dictionary
Sorex cinereus

Sorex cinereus

9.9
A small brown shrew that lives in damp fields and on forest floors in North America
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Sorex cinereus
  • The Sorex cinereus is frequently found in damp meadows and forest floors across Canada and the northern United States.

Examples

  • Scientists studied the diet of Sorex cinereus to understand its role in the ecosystem.

  • During the survey, several specimens of Sorex cinereus were captured for population analysis.

  • The Sorex cinereus is often found in wetlands.

  • Did you know about the Sorex cinereus?

  • During the survey, several specimens of Sorex cinereus were captured for population analysis.

  • Scientists studied the diet of Sorex cinereus to understand its role in the ecosystem.

  • The Sorex cinereus is frequently found in damp meadows and forest floors across Canada and the northern United States.

Synonyms

masked shrew
vsSorex cinereus
  • US
8.9

A small, common shrew with a dark head and back that lives in wet places in North America

is the formal scientific name used for that same small mammal

Surface Forms

Sorex cinereus singular

Morphology

Sorex + cinereus

This is a Latin binomial scientific name: 'Sorex' (a genus of shrews) plus the Latin epithet 'cinereus', which is not an English lexical item and is undefined in the provided data. An average B1 learner who knows basic English words would not be able to infer the specific species identity or meaning from these constituents, so the name functions as a lexicalized taxonomic label rather than a transparently compositional phrase.

Etymology

Sorex cinereus comes from Latin words: Sorex meaning 'shrew' and cinereus meaning 'ash-gray'. The name literally means the small ash-gray shrew, which is why it is used for the masked shrew common in moist areas of North America.