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Glite Dictionary
tube-nosed bat

tube-nosed bat

9.8
A fruit bat with nostrils that stick out like small tubes
  • noun
  • Australian
translation icon : murciélago de nariz tubular
  • The tube-nosed bat is easily recognized by its unusual nostrils, which protrude like small tubes from its snout.

Examples

  • Unlike many bats, the tube-nosed bat feeds primarily on fruit and is important for pollination.

  • Researchers in Papua New Guinea discovered a new species of tube-nosed bat during their expedition.

  • The tube-nosed bat is known for its unique nostrils.

  • A tube-nosed bat can be found in tropical forests.

  • Researchers in Papua New Guinea discovered a new species of tube-nosed bat during their expedition.

  • The tube-nosed bat is easily recognized by its unusual nostrils, which protrude like small tubes from its snout.

  • Unlike many bats, the tube-nosed bat feeds primarily on fruit and is important for pollination.

Synonyms

tube-nosed fruit bat
vstube-nosed bat
  • Australian
9.5

A bat that eats fruit and has tube-shaped nostrils that point away from each other

is the same species concept but expressed with a different common name
harpy bat
vstube-nosed bat
  • Australian
9.9

A fruit-eating bat with tube-shaped nostrils that point outward

is the same idea but uses an alternate traditional name
harpy
vstube-nosed bat
  • Australian
9.9

A fruit bat with nostrils shaped like tubes

is the identical biological reference though often a shorter name

Surface Forms

tube-nosed bat singular
tube-nosed bats plural

Morphology

tube-nosed + bat

The phrase is compositionally transparent: 'tube-nosed' is analyzable as tube + nosed (having tube-like nostrils) and 'bat' names the mammal, so a learner who knows those words can infer it denotes a bat with elongated, tube-like nostrils. This follows regular English compounding and adjective formation patterns and is cross-linguistically describable, making the meaning predictable for B1 learners.

Etymology

Tube-nosed bat comes from the bat's unusual nose: the parts tube and nosed show that its 'nostrils' stick out like little tubes, so the name simply describes this bat with tube-like nostrils.