little spotted skunk
- noun
- Specialized
:
zorrillo moteado
- Unlike other skunks, the little spotted skunk has a distinct marbled pattern on its fur.
Examples
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The little spotted skunk is known for its acrobatic handstands when threatened.
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Researchers discovered a new population of little spotted skunk in northern Mexico.
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The little spotted skunk is known for its unique markings.
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I saw a little spotted skunk in my backyard yesterday.
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Researchers discovered a new population of little spotted skunk in northern Mexico.
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The little spotted skunk is known for its acrobatic handstands when threatened.
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Unlike other skunks, the little spotted skunk has a distinct marbled pattern on its fur.
Synonyms
31
1.0
A small black and white mammal that sprays a strong bad smell
A small animal from the United States and Mexico with black and white spotted fur
A small skunk with a black and white spotted and striped coat that lives in the United States and Mexico
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase describes a small ('little') skunk that is 'spotted' and its meaning is directly built from the literal meanings of the constituents with no idiomatic shift. This straightforward adjective+adjective+noun composition is common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows the words would readily understand it.
Etymology
Little spotted skunk is a simple name: the animal is very small and has a black-and-white, spotted coat, so little and spotted describe it. That's why the name refers to a 'small species of skunk'.