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white-tailed jackrabbit

white-tailed jackrabbit

9.1
A large hare with a white tail and fur that becomes paler in winter
  • noun
  • /ˈwaɪtˌteɪld ˈdʒækˌræbɪt/
  • US
translation icon : liebre de cola blanca
  • We spotted a white-tailed jackrabbit darting through the fields at sunset.

Examples

  • The winter coat of the white-tailed jackrabbit helps it blend into snowy landscapes.

  • The white-tailed jackrabbit is known for its impressive speed.

  • During summer, the white-tailed jackrabbit is more brownish-grey than in winter.

  • Many white-tailed jackrabbits live in open fields.

  • The winter coat of the white-tailed jackrabbit helps it blend into snowy landscapes.

  • We spotted a white-tailed jackrabbit darting through the fields at sunset.

  • During summer, the white-tailed jackrabbit is more brownish-grey than in winter.

Synonyms

Lepus townsendi
vswhite-tailed jackrabbit
  • Specialized
9.9

A large hare with a white tail that lives in western United States plains

is the everyday common name used for the same species
whitetail jackrabbit
vswhite-tailed jackrabbit
  • US
8.4

A large wild hare in North America with a white tail that lives in plains and mountains

gives more precise seasonal colors and an almost entirely white tail

Surface Forms

Morphology

white-tailed + jackrabbit

The phrase is a straightforward descriptive compound: 'white-tailed' means having a white tail and 'jackrabbit' names a hare, so the overall meaning is simply a jackrabbit with a white tail. This color+body-part + noun pattern is highly compositional and common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

White-tailed jackrabbit The noun white-tailed jackrabbit comes from its look: a large jackrabbit with an almost always completely white tail that flashes when it runs. So the name simply describes the big hare with a white tail.