varying hare
- noun
- /ˈvɛəriɪŋ hɛr/
- US
:
liebre variable
- The varying hare can easily be identified by its large feet and seasonal color changes.
Examples
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During the winter, the varying hare turns white to blend in with the snow.
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With the current high numbers of varying hares on the peninsula, great horned owls have probably been feeding well for the past couple of years.
Blog text (18) -
While hiking in the forest, we spotted a varying hare hopping through the underbrush.
Synonyms
1
6.5
A large North American hare with big feet that turns white in winter and brown in summer
1
3.9
A large North American hare with very big back feet that turns white in winter
A large North American hare with big feet that turns white in winter
Surface Forms
Morphology
The composition 'varying' + 'hare' gives a partial clue — it suggests a hare that varies in some way (e.g., appearance or seasonal coat), so a learner might guess variability. However, the specific referent (the snowshoe hare, a large North American species with large feet and a white winter coat) is a lexicalized species name and its exact attributes are not fully predictable from the parts, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
The name varying hare comes from the animal's changing fur. The word varying means 'changing', and the hare turns brown in summer and 'white' in winter to hide in the 'snow', so the name fits the animal's look.