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Glite Dictionary
western pipistrel

western pipistrel

9.9
A small bat from western North America that eats insects and lives in dry areas
  • noun
  • /ˈwɛstərn ˈpɪpɪstrəl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : pipistrelo del oeste
  • The western pipistrel is commonly found in arid and semi-arid regions of North America.

Examples

  • Despite their small size, western pipistrels play an important role in controlling insect populations.

  • Researchers tracked the migration patterns of the western pipistrel in California's deserts.

  • The western pipistrel is known for its small size.

  • Have you ever seen a western pipistrel in the wild?

  • Despite their small size, western pipistrels play an important role in controlling insect populations.

  • Researchers tracked the migration patterns of the western pipistrel in California's deserts.

  • The western pipistrel is commonly found in arid and semi-arid regions of North America.

Synonyms

Pipistrellus hesperus
vswestern pipistrel
  • Specialized
9.9

A small bat from western North America that hunts insects at dusk

is the more familiar common name used for the same species

Surface Forms

western pipistrel singular
western pipistrels plural

Morphology

western + pipistrel

While 'western' transparently indicates a geographic modifier, 'pipistrel' is not a common English lexical item but a taxonomic/product name with no predictable meaning for learners. The overall phrase is a species name whose referent ('a vesper bat') cannot be deduced from the parts by a B1 learner, making the expression opaque.

Etymology

Western pipistrel comes from a simple idea: western means from the 'west' and pipistrel comes from an Italian word for a 'bat'. That's why the name means a small 'bat' that lives in the western part of North America.