🌿 Hand-like leaf 🦆 Webbed bird feet

palmate

9.2

Feet with three toes joined by thin skin to help the bird swim

adjective
/ˈpɑːlmeɪt/

Specialized

: palmeado

Many ducks have palmate feet that help them swim efficiently in water.

Examples

Gulls are among the birds with palmate feet, which aid in propulsion while swimming.
The biologist described the bird’s palmate toes as an adaptation for an aquatic lifestyle.
The duck has palmate feet that help it swim efficiently.
Many species of geese exhibit palmate foot structures.
Gulls are among the birds with palmate feet, which aid in propulsion while swimming.
Many ducks have palmate feet that help them swim efficiently in water.
The biologist described the bird's palmate toes as an adaptation for an aquatic lifestyle.

Synonyms

webbed

vspalmate

4 3.1

Having skin between the toes and fingers, like a duck or frog

refers specifically to three toes joined by a thin skin fold in water birds

Compounds

palmate leaf

Specialized

6.5

A leaf with parts that spread from one point like an open hand

How Webbed

webbed

4 3.1

palmate

Specialized

9.2

semipalmated

Specialized

8.8

unwebbed

Specialized

8.8

Surface Forms

palmate positive

Morphology

palmate = palm (transparent) = palm + ate

The meaning 'having toes connected like a hand/palm' follows straightforwardly from 'palm' + '-ate', so the formation is semantically transparent.

Etymology

Palmate comes from the Latin palma, meaning 'palm of the hand', and shares the root with the everyday word palm. So palmate feet have skin that spreads between the toes like a hand, helping birds push through water when they swim.