Plantigrade

Pronunciation: /ˈplæn.tɪˌɡreɪd/

Definitions of plantigrade

adjective referring to an animal that walks with the entire sole of the foot touching the ground, such as a human or bear

Example Sentences

A1 Bears are plantigrade animals, walking on the soles of their feet.

A2 Raccoons are plantigrade mammals, meaning they walk with their entire foot touching the ground.

B1 Humans are plantigrade creatures, with their heels and toes making contact with the ground when walking.

B2 Some primates, such as gorillas and chimpanzees, are plantigrade and walk on the soles of their feet.

C1 The plantigrade stance of certain animals allows for greater stability and weight distribution while walking.

C2 The evolution of plantigrade locomotion in mammals has been linked to the development of more versatile movement patterns.

Examples of plantigrade in a Sentence

formal The plantigrade stance is characterized by the entire sole of the foot making contact with the ground.

informal Did you know that humans are plantigrade animals because we walk on the soles of our feet?

slang I can't believe how tired my plantigrade feet are after standing all day.

figurative Her plantigrade approach to problem-solving involved taking each step carefully and methodically.

Grammatical Forms of plantigrade

• past tense: plantigraded
• plural: plantigrades
• comparative: more plantigrade
• superlative: most plantigrade
• present tense: plantigrades
• future tense: will plantigrade
• perfect tense: have plantigraded
• continuous tense: is plantigrading
• singular: plantigrade
• positive degree: plantigrade
• infinitive: to plantigrade
• gerund: plantigrading
• participle: plantigrading

Origin and Evolution of plantigrade

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'plantigrade' originated from Latin, with 'planta' meaning sole of the foot and 'gradus' meaning step.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in reference to animals that walk on the soles of their feet, the term 'plantigrade' has evolved to also describe a human posture where the entire sole of the foot is in contact with the ground during standing or walking.