Martes foina
- noun
- Specialized
:
Martes foina
- The Martes foina is frequently sighted in European forests and rural areas.
Examples
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Wildlife researchers placed tracking collars on several Martes foina to study their nocturnal habits.
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Farmers sometimes regard the Martes foina as a nuisance due to its raids on poultry.
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The Martes foina is known for its beautiful brown coat.
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Have you ever seen a Martes foina in the wild?
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Farmers sometimes regard the Martes foina as a nuisance due to its raids on poultry.
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The Martes foina is frequently sighted in European forests and rural areas.
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Wildlife researchers placed tracking collars on several Martes foina to study their nocturnal habits.
Synonyms
A small wild animal like a weasel with brown fur and a pale throat patch found in Europe and Asia
A small animal with brown fur and a pale chest and throat that lives in woods and rocky places
Surface Forms
Morphology
Martes + foina
This is a Latin scientific binomial: 'Martes' labels a genus of martens but 'foina' is not an English word (dictionary note), so the combination functions as an arbitrary species name rather than a compositional phrase. Because the second element carries no transparent, familiar meaning for learners and scientific names act as labels, a B1 learner knowing the parts would not be able to derive the full meaning.
Etymology
Martes foina comes from old Latin words: Martes means 'marten' and foina may come from a word for 'hay'. One popular idea says these martens hid in haystacks and farm buildings, so people called them the 'hay marten', which is why the name refers to this small brown marten species today.
