hairy-legged vampire bat
- noun
- US
- The hairy-legged vampire bat primarily feeds on the blood of birds in its native habitat.
Examples
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Unlike other species, the hairy-legged vampire bat can also be found as far north as Texas.
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Researchers found a colony of hairy-legged vampire bats roosting in the abandoned building.
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The hairy-legged vampire bat is known for its unique feeding habits.
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Many hairy-legged vampire bats inhabit the caves of Texas.
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Researchers found a colony of hairy-legged vampire bats roosting in the abandoned building.
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The hairy-legged vampire bat primarily feeds on the blood of birds in its native habitat.
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Many hairy-legged vampire bats inhabit the caves of Texas.
Synonyms
A small vampire bat from tropical America that mainly drinks bird blood
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase is directly compositional: 'hairy-legged' describes having hairy legs and 'vampire bat' names the blood‑feeding bat, so the phrase refers to a vampire bat with hairy legs. This is a literal, descriptive combination following normal adjectival + noun composition and would be immediately understandable to a B1 learner who knows the constituents.
Etymology
The name hairy-legged vampire bat paints a clear picture. The hairy-legged part points to fur on its legs and the vampire part refers to bats that feed on blood, so the name means a bat with hairy legs that feeds on blood.