Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
cheliferous

cheliferous

9.9
Having pincer-like claws used for holding or grabbing
  • adjective
  • /ˌkɛlɪˈfɛrəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : queliferado
  • Unlike spiders, many crustaceans are cheliferous, using their pincers for defense and feeding.

Examples

  • Certain species of scorpions are cheliferous, possessing large pincers at the end of their legs.

  • The zoologist classified the mysterious arthropod as cheliferous due to its prominent claws.

  • Look at that cheliferous crab!

  • The cheliferous species of scorpions are fascinating.

  • Certain species of scorpions are cheliferous, possessing large pincers used for grasping their prey.

  • The zoologist classified the mysterious arthropod as cheliferous because it has large, pincer-like claws.

  • Many crustaceans are cheliferous, employing their pincers effectively for both defense and feeding.

Synonyms

chelate
vscheliferous
  • Specialized
9.9

Having a claw with two parts that close together

refers to an animal that has those pincer shaped appendages

Surface Forms

cheliferous positive

Morphology

cheliferous = chela (opaque) = chela + ferous

Formed from the technical biological root 'chela' plus the suffix meaning 'bearing', but both elements are specialized combining forms unfamiliar to average learners.

Etymology

Cheliferous comes from the Greek root chelē meaning 'claw' and the suffix -ferous meaning 'bearing' or 'carrying', as in coniferous 'cone-bearing'. So, cheliferous literally means 'claw-bearing', which is why it describes animals with pincers.