biauriculate heart

7.0

A heart with two upper chambers, as in mammals, birds, and reptiles

noun
/ˌbaɪɔːrɪˈkjʊlɪt hɑrt/

Specialized

: corazón biauricular

During the dissection, the teacher explained how the biauriculate heart differs from the hearts of fish.

Examples

Reptiles have a biauriculate heart, which allows for more efficient separation of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood.
The biauriculate heart is a key evolutionary adaptation in mammals and birds.
A biauriculate heart is essential for proper blood circulation.
The biauriculate heart of mammals allows for efficient oxygenation.
Reptiles have a biauriculate heart, which allows for more efficient separation of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood.
The biauriculate heart is a key evolutionary adaptation in mammals and birds.
During the dissection, the teacher explained how the biauriculate heart differs from the hearts of fish.

Surface Forms

biauriculate heart singular

biauriculate hearts plural

Morphology

biauriculate + heart

The phrase is a straightforward adjective+noun composition: 'biauriculate' means 'having two auricles' and simply modifies 'heart' to mean a heart with two auricles, so the overall meaning is directly derived from the constituents. Although 'biauriculate' is technical and rare, the morphological composition is transparent (bi- = two, auriculate = having auricles), so a learner who knows the constituent morphemes/words would be able to infer the meaning.

Etymology

Biauriculate heart comes from bi- meaning 'two' and auricle meaning 'little ear', so imagine a heart with two small ear-like flaps. That's why it describes 'a heart with two auricles', the kind found in mammals, birds, and reptiles.