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Glite Dictionary
Sorex araneus

Sorex araneus

9.9
A small brown mammal with a long pointed nose that eats insects and lives in Europe and northern Asia
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : Sorex araneus
  • The Sorex araneus is often found in hedgerows and grasslands across Europe.

Examples

  • Unlike mice, the Sorex araneus has a distinctly elongated snout.

  • Researchers studied the diet of Sorex araneus in its natural habitat.

  • Look at that Sorex araneus!

  • The Sorex araneus is often found in gardens.

  • Researchers studied the diet of Sorex araneus in its natural habitat.

  • The Sorex araneus is often found in hedgerows and grasslands across Europe.

  • Unlike mice, the Sorex araneus has a distinctly elongated snout.

Synonyms

common shrew
vsSorex araneus
  • UK
5.8

A small mouse-like mammal with a pointed nose and thick fur found in Europe and northern Asia

uses the scientific species name instead of an everyday descriptive name

Surface Forms

Sorex araneus singular
Sorex araneus plural

Morphology

Sorex + araneus

This is a Latin binomial (scientific) name: knowing 'Sorex' signals the genus (a shrew), but 'araneus' is not a common English word and does not transparently convey the specific meaning 'common shrew'. Binomial names are specialist labels where only part of the meaning (that it is a shrew) is recoverable, while the precise species sense is not predictable for a B1 learner.

Etymology

Sorex araneus comes from Latin words: Sorex means 'shrew' and araneus means 'spider'. One popular idea is that the second word gives a picture of a very small, quick animal moving like a tiny 'spider' in the grass, so the name helps you remember it is the common shrew found across Europe.