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Glite Dictionary
shrew mole

shrew mole

9.3
A small burrowing animal with a long nose and tail that digs with strong front feet
  • noun
  • /ʃruː moʊl/
translation icon : topo musaraña
  • Unlike true shrews, the shrew mole has powerful digging forelimbs for burrowing.

Examples

  • The shrew mole is difficult to spot because it spends most of its life underground.

  • Biologists studied the habitat preferences of the Japanese shrew mole in the wild.

  • The shrew mole is often found in moist habitats.

  • Did you see the shrew mole in the garden?

  • The shrew mole is known for its long snout and digging abilities.

  • In the forest, the shrew mole prefers to live in moist soil rich with insects.

  • Many people confuse the shrew mole with a shrew because of its similar appearance.

Synonyms

mole
vsshrew mole
23 1.0

A small burrowing animal with soft fur and strong front feet for digging

is a slimmer long snouted member of the same family
talpid
vsshrew mole
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A small animal that lives underground and digs tunnels

is a slender member with a long snout and tail

Surface Forms

shrew mole singular
shrew moles plural

Morphology

shrew + mole

The noun 'shrew mole' is transparently compositional: it denotes a mole that resembles or has features of a shrew. A B1 learner who knows 'shrew' and 'mole' can readily infer this meaning because noun‑noun compounds of this type are common and follow straightforward referential logic.

Etymology

Shrew mole is a name that shows a small mole that looks like a shrew: it has a long snout and thin body, but it digs and lives like a mole. So the name helps you picture an animal that 'looks like a shrew' but is really a mole.