mountain beaver
- noun
- /ˈmaʊntən ˈbiːvər/
- US
:
castor de montaña
- Biologists consider the mountain beaver a living fossil due to its primitive features.
Examples
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Unlike the common beaver, the mountain beaver does not build dams.
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The mountain beaver is rarely seen during the day because it is nocturnal.
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The mountain beaver is known for its burrowing habits.
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Many mountain beavers live in the dense forests of the Pacific Northwest.
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Biologists consider the mountain beaver a living fossil due to its primitive features.
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Many mountain beavers live in the dense forests of the Pacific Northwest.
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The mountain beaver is rarely seen during the day because it is nocturnal.
Synonyms
A heavy burrowing animal like a large rat that lives in Pacific coast mountains of North America
A small animal like a mouse that lives in burrows and is active at night
A type of rodent that today includes only the mountain beaver
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun combines 'mountain' (habitat/location) with 'beaver' (an animal), so a B1 learner who knows both words will very likely infer it denotes a beaver-like rodent associated with mountainous/upland areas — a straightforward noun+noun compositional pattern. Detailed biological facts (e.g. that it is not a true beaver or its specific burrowing/nocturnal habits) are not predictable, but the basic referent is transparently derived from the constituents.
Etymology
Mountain beaver may come from the animal's look and home: it looks a bit like a beaver and lives in the mountains, so people called it that. So the name today means a beaver-like rodent from the hills, even though it is not a true 'beaver'.
