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Glite Dictionary
genus Cathartes

genus Cathartes

9.9
A group of vultures from the Americas that includes the turkey vulture
  • noun
  • /ˈdʒiːnəs kəˈθɑːrtiːz/
  • Specialized
translation icon : género Cathartes
  • The most widespread member of the genus Cathartes is the turkey vulture.

Examples

  • The genus Cathartes includes several species of vultures.

  • Many birds in the genus Cathartes are scavengers.

  • Biologists studied the feeding habits of birds within the genus Cathartes.

  • The genus Cathartes contains several species commonly known as turkey vultures.

  • Biologists studied the feeding habits of birds within the genus Cathartes.

  • The genus Cathartes contains several species commonly known as turkey vultures.

  • The most widespread member of the genus Cathartes is the turkey vulture.

Synonyms

Cathartes
vsgenus Cathartes
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of large vultures in the Americas that includes the turkey vulture

specifies the same genus and adds its family affiliation

Surface Forms

genus Cathartes singular
genera Cathartes plural

Morphology

genus + Cathartes

The phrase is fully compositional: 'genus' names a biological rank and 'Cathartes' is the proper name of that genus, so the meaning — the taxonomic group called Cathartes — is directly derivable from the parts. Scientific naming conventions are cross-linguistically familiar, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE's meaning even if they don't know the specific species involved.

Etymology

Genus Cathartes may come from an old Greek word meaning 'purifier', because people saw Cathartes vultures as cleaners that eat dead animals. That's why the name fits this group of birds and now refers to the turkey vulture and its relatives.