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Glite Dictionary
Mammuthus primigenius

Mammuthus primigenius

9.3
A large, hairy extinct elephant that lived in cold northern areas during the Ice Age
  • noun
  • /ˈmæməθəs praɪˈmɪdʒɪnɪəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Mammuthus primigenius
  • Samples of Mammuthus primigenius DNA have given scientists new insights into Ice Age life.

Examples

  • Researchers believe that Mammuthus primigenius became extinct about 4,000 years ago.

  • The remains of Mammuthus primigenius have been discovered in both Europe and North America.

  • The Mammuthus primigenius roamed the tundra during the Ice Age.

  • Scientists discovered fossils of Mammuthus primigenius in Siberia.

  • Researchers believe that Mammuthus primigenius became extinct about 4,000 years ago.

  • Samples of Mammuthus primigenius DNA have given scientists new insights into Ice Age life.

  • The remains of Mammuthus primigenius have been discovered in both Europe and North America.

Synonyms

woolly mammoth
vsMammuthus primigenius
4 5.2

A large extinct elephant with thick fur that lived in cold areas during the Ice Age

is the formal scientific name used instead of the common species name
northern mammoth
vsMammuthus primigenius
9.0

A very large, hairy animal like an elephant that lived in cold northern places

is the scientific name that specifies the Ice Age time period

Surface Forms

Mammuthus primigenius singular
Mammuthus primigenii plural

Morphology

Mammuthus + primigenius

The genus name Mammuthus clearly signals a mammoth, so a learner who knows the constituents would infer this refers to a type of mammoth. However, the species epithet primigenius is a technical Latin term (suggesting "primeval" or "original") and is not commonly known, and it does not transparently convey the specific trait 'woolly' without zoological/taxonomic knowledge, so the meaning is only partially derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Mammuthus primigenius is the scientific name for the 'woolly mammoth'. The part Mammuthus shows it is a mammoth and the part primigenius means 'first' or 'very old', so the name makes you picture a giant, hairy elephant from the Ice Age.