southern flying squirrel
- noun
- /ˈsaʊðərn ˈflaɪɪŋ ˈskwɪrəl/
- US
:
ardilla voladora del sur
- The southern flying squirrel glided effortlessly from one tree to another in search of food.
Examples
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At night, the southern flying squirrel emerged from its nest, ready to explore the forest.
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Another consequence of the northward range expansion by the southern flying squirrel has been increased direct contact with northern flying squirrels and climate-induced hybridization (Garroway et al. 2010).
Academic text (2012) -
During a hike, we spotted a southern flying squirrel leaping gracefully between branches.
Synonyms
1
3.9
A small night animal that glides between trees using skin flaps
A small nocturnal flying squirrel with large eyes that glides between trees
A small squirrel active at night that glides between trees using a skin flap
A small North American squirrel that glides between trees using a skin flap
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is fully compositional: 'southern' locates the animal in the south, 'flying' describes its ability to move through the air (commonly understood as gliding), and 'squirrel' names the animal. This combination directly yields the meaning and is paralleled across many languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
The name southern flying squirrel comes from its literal parts: southern (the area where it lives), flying (it seems to 'fly' because it glides on a skin flap), and squirrel (a small tree rodent). Picture a little squirrel stretching its skin like a parachute and sliding from tree to tree at night, and you can see why the name means a southern, gliding tree squirrel.