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Glite Dictionary
Momotidae

Momotidae

9.9
A family of bright tropical birds called motmots with racket-shaped tails
  • noun
  • /ˌmɒməˈtiːdeɪ/
  • Specialized
: Momotidae
  • The Momotidae are recognized for their distinctive racket-shaped tail feathers.

Examples

  • Birdwatchers travel to Costa Rica to observe the colorful members of the Momotidae.

  • Researchers discovered a new species in the Momotidae family thriving in the Amazon rainforests.

  • The Momotidae family includes several species of colorful birds.

  • I saw a Momotidae in the rainforest during my trip.

  • Birdwatchers travel to Costa Rica to observe the colorful members of the Momotidae.

  • Researchers discovered a new species in the Momotidae family thriving in the Amazon rainforests.

  • The Momotidae are recognized for their distinctive racket-shaped tail feathers.

Surface Forms

Momotidae singular
Momotidaes plural
Momotids plural

Morphology

Momotidae = motmot (opaque) = Momot + idae

The suffix '-idae' is a specialized taxonomic marker meaning 'family of' and is not a productive or familiar English suffix for average learners, so the family-name meaning is not derivable from the base without biological knowledge.

Etymology

Momotidae gets its name from the common bird name momoto or motmot, a word used in Spanish and by Indigenous people in Central and South America to name these bright, racket-tailed birds. So the family name simply means 'the momotos', which helps you remember it is the group of those colorful tropical birds.