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Glite Dictionary
family Cariamidae

family Cariamidae

9.9
A group of South American birds with long legs that mostly walk on land
  • noun
  • Specialized
: familia Cariamidae
  • The family Cariamidae comprises only two living species, both native to South America.

Examples

  • Members of the family Cariamidae are known for their long legs and terrestrial habits.

  • Researchers studied the evolutionary history of the family Cariamidae to understand their relationship to other birds.

  • The family Cariamidae is known for its unique appearance.

  • Did you know that the family Cariamidae includes seriemas?

  • The family Cariamidae consists of distintive birds that thrive in the grasslands of South America.

  • Bird watchers often seek out the family Cariamidae for their striking looks and interesting behaviors.

  • One of the fascinating facts about the family Cariamidae is that they are excellent at running.

Synonyms

Cariamidae
vsfamily Cariamidae
  • Specialized
9.9

A family of long-legged South American birds that walk to catch insects and small animals

notes that the group includes a specific subgroup rather than stressing habits

Surface Forms

family Cariamidae singular
families Cariamidae plural

Morphology

family + Cariamidae

The phrase is fully compositional: 'family' (a scientific grouping) combined with the taxon name 'Cariamidae' yields the meaning 'the family called Cariamidae, a group of related bird species.' This follows standard taxonomic naming patterns found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will grasp the meaning.

Etymology

Family Cariamidae gets its name from the bird Cariama, a long-legged South American bird that early visitors noticed and named. Scientists then used that bird's name for the whole 'family' of similar crane-like, ground-living birds, so family Cariamidae simply means the group of those long-legged South American waders.