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pelage

pelage

1 9.9
The coat of hair or fur that covers an animal's body
  • noun
  • /ˈpɛlɪdʒ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : pelaje
  • For larger mammalian species (i.e., those which were not captured on film in their entirety), we used pelage color and patterning, color and length of nails, and morphology of the forefoot to identify the species.

Examples

  • The leopard is known for its distinctive pelage, which features a pattern of rosettes that helps it hide in the dappled light of its habitat.

  • The white pelage is caused by a unique gene combination.

    Academic text (2000)
  • Document got this important humanity trench pelage for a brand new daughter becoming a gift for an individual's birthday party.

    Blog text (5)
  • Pelage and plumage were scratched directly into the paint.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • I'm sorry to have startled you, but upon approaching your house, I discovered these strands of the most unusual pelage.

  • A fawn's pelage is a model of the dappled pattern of sunlight filtered through trees onto the woodland floor.

    Academic text (1995)
  • In the era before molecular taxonomy, tiger subspecies definitions were based on classical criteria: geographic origin, size, and pelage (fur) variation (hair length, color, stripe number, and patterning).

    Academic text (2010)
  • The fawn's pelage is a beautiful mix of browns and creams, providing excellent camouflage in the forest.

  • During the winter, the snowshoe hare's pelage changes from brown to white to blend in with the snowy landscape.

Synonyms

fur
vspelage
279 1.0

Soft thick hair that covers some animals or the material used for warm coats

is a broader biological term for animal body covering beyond mammals
coat
vspelage
70 1.0

The hair or fur that covers an animal's body

is the scientific term used in biology for that body covering

How Dense

pelage
  • Specialized
1 9.9
bare skin
4 2.4

Surface Forms

pelage singular
pelages plural

Etymology

The word pelage comes from a French word for an animal's skin or pelt, and from Latin pellis meaning 'skin'. So pelage is the coat of hair, wool, or fur that covers an animal.