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caudal appendage

caudal appendage

8.4
A tail that extends from the back of an animal and helps balance
  • noun
  • /ˈkɔːdəl əˈpɛndɪdʒ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : apéndice caudal
  • The horse's caudal appendage swished as it tried to brush away flies.

Examples

  • Veterinarians examined the injury at the base of the cat's caudal appendage.

  • The cat's caudal appendage swished back and forth.

  • Many vertebrates possess a caudal appendage that aids in balance and movement.

  • Many mammals have a long caudal appendage for balance.

  • Many vertebrates possess a caudal appendage that aids in balance and movement.

  • The horse's caudal appendage swished as it tried to brush away flies.

  • Veterinarians examined the injury at the base of the cat's caudal appendage.

Synonyms

cauda
vscaudal appendage
  • Specialized
2 9.9

A tail-like part of an animal or person that helps balance and movement

is the same structure but specific to mammals and located at the rear

How Long

long tail
2 3.3
caudal appendage
  • Specialized
8.4
bobtail
1 7.7

Surface Forms

Morphology

caudal + appendage

The meaning is directly compositional: 'caudal' means related to the tail/rear and 'appendage' means a limb or projection, so together they denote a tail-like projection. Although somewhat formal/technical, the semantics follow ordinary word-combination rules and would be derivable by a learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Caudal appendage is a formal name for an animal's tail: caudal means 'at the back' and appendage means 'something attached'. Imagine a long part sticking out from an animal's rear that helps it move and balance, so the term simply means the 'tail'.