Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
caprine animal

caprine animal

7.9
An animal like a goat with straight horns and a beard that climbs rocks
  • noun
  • /ˈkeɪpraɪn ˈænɪməl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : animal caprino
  • The mountain is home to several rare caprine animals adapted to rocky terrain.

Examples

  • Some caprine animals possess remarkable climbing abilities that help them escape predators.

  • The caprine animal grazed peacefully in the field.

  • Biologists observed the behavior of a caprine animal among the herd.

  • Many caprine animals are known for their climbing abilities.

  • The mountain is home to several rare caprine animals adapted to rocky terrain.

  • Some caprine animals possess remarkable climbing abilities that help them escape predators.

  • A caprine animal grazed peacefully in the field.

Surface Forms

caprine animal singular
caprine animals plural

Morphology

caprine + animal

The phrase is a straightforward adjective + noun combination: 'caprine' (pertaining to goats) + 'animal' yields 'an animal pertaining to goats', so the meaning is directly compositional. Although 'caprine' is relatively technical, if a learner knows that adjective the noun phrase follows standard, cross-linguistically common adjective-noun composition and will be immediately understandable.

Etymology

Caprine animal comes from an old word for 'goat': caprine means 'goat' and animal means creature. It names creatures like goats with beards, straight horns and great climbing skill, so it is used for 'goats and their relatives'.