Animal Locomotion Terms

noun a two-footed animal

adjective having two feet

• The bipedal creature walked gracefully on two legs.
• I saw a strange biped walking down the street.
• Check out that cool biped strutting its stuff.
• As a biped, he stood tall and proud in the face of adversity.

noun a long, whiplike appendage that is used by many microscopic organisms for movement

• The flagellum is a whip-like structure used by some single-celled organisms for movement.
• The little creature swam around using its flagellum like a tiny oar.
• That microorganism was zooming around with its flagellum like a boss.
• His flagellum-like tongue lashed out in anger as he shouted at the referee.

verb to jump or spring a long way, to a great height, or with great force

• The gazelle was leaping gracefully through the savannah.
• Did you see that cat leaping onto the table?
• He was leaping like a boss during the dance battle.
• Her heart was leaping with joy when she received the good news.

noun the quality or state of being a quadruped, an animal with four feet or legs

• The study of quadrupedality in mammals is a fascinating area of research in biology.
• My dog's quadrupedality makes him a great running companion.
• I never realized how important quadrupedality was until I got a pet cat.
• The company's quadrupedality in the market helped them maintain a strong position against competitors.

adjective describing an animal that walks on four legs

• The quadrupedal nature of the animal allows it to move efficiently on all fours.
• My dog prefers to be quadrupedal when running around the yard.
• I saw a quadrupedal critter scurrying across the road.
• The team worked together in a quadrupedal manner to finish the project ahead of schedule.

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

• The plantigrade stance is characterized by the entire sole of the foot making contact with the ground.
• Did you know that humans are plantigrade animals because we walk on the soles of our feet?
• I can't believe how tired my plantigrade feet are after standing all day.
• Her plantigrade approach to problem-solving involved taking each step carefully and methodically.