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Glite Dictionary
🖐️ Having five fingers 🖐️ Animal with five digits
pentadactyl

pentadactyl

1 8.6
Having five fingers or toes on each limb
  • adjective
  • /ˌpɛntəˈdæktɪl/
  • Specialized
: pentadáctilo
  • The human hand is a classic example of a pentadactyl structure.

Examples

  • Most mammals, including dogs and cats, have pentadactyl limbs.

  • Fossil evidence shows that early amphibians were also pentadactyl.

  • Look at the pentadactyl hand of that sculpture!

  • Many animals are pentadactyl.

  • The human hand is a classic example of a pentadactyl structure.

  • Most mammals, including dogs and cats, have pentadactyl limbs.

  • Fossil evidence shows that early amphibians were also pentadactyl.

Surface Forms

pentadactyl positive

Morphology

pentadactyl = dactyl (opaque) = penta + dactyl

Built from Greek combining forms 'penta-' (five) and 'dactyl-' (finger), which are technical combining forms uncommon to general B1 learners, so the meaning is not transparently derived.

Etymology

Pentadactyl comes from the Greek parts penta- ('five') and -dactyl ('finger' or 'toe'), like the penta in pentagon and the dactyl in pterodactyl. So pentadactyl describes something that has five fingers or toes.