fossorial mammal

9.8

A mammal that lives underground and uses strong front legs to dig, like a mole

noun
/ˈfɑːsərɪəl ˈmæməl/

Specialized

: mamífero fósil

The mole is a classic example of a fossorial mammal found in many temperate regions.

Examples

Some rodents, such as pocket gophers, are highly specialized fossorial mammals with strong forelimbs for digging.
Many fossorial mammals have strong claws for digging.
Researchers are studying the skeletal adaptations of fossorial mammals to understand their burrowing behavior.
The fossorial mammal burrowed deep into the soil.
Some rodents, such as pocket gophers, are highly specialized fossorial mammals with strong forelimbs for digging.
Researchers are studying the skeletal adaptations of fossorial mammals to understand their burrowing behavior.
The mole is a classic example of a fossorial mammal found in many temperate regions.

Antonyms

aquatic mammal

1 3.4

An animal that breathes air and lives in water, like a whale or seal

Surface Forms

fossorial mammal singular

fossorial mammals plural

Morphology

fossorial + mammal

The meaning is directly compositional: 'fossorial' specifies animals adapted for digging and 'mammal' names the class of warm-blooded animals, so 'fossorial mammal' plainly means a mammal adapted for digging or living underground. This is a standard adjective + noun construction and would be understandable to a B1 learner who already knows both constituent words, despite 'fossorial' being somewhat technical.

Etymology

Fossorial mammal comes from a Latin word meaning 'to dig', so fossorial describes digging and mammal is a type of animal. That's why a fossorial mammal means an animal that digs and usually 'lives underground'.