altricial

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word altricial. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word altricial, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say altricial in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word altricial you have here. The definition of the word altricial will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofaltricial, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Etymology

From New Latin Altrices (a former division of birds), plural of altrīx, the feminine of altor (“nourisher”), from alere (“to nourish”).

Pronunciation

Adjective

altricial (comparative more altricial, superlative most altricial)

  1. (zoology) Helpless at birth (of young animals); or having young which are helpless at birth.
    • 2001, Gonyou, Keeling & Keeling, Social Behaviour in Farm Animals, CABI Publishing, published 2001, page 63:
      Altricial young are typical among carnivores, which might be expected to be hampered in their hunting behaviour if the pregnant mother has to carry its young for a long period.
    • 2011, Steven Pinker, The Better Angels of Our Nature, Penguin, published 2012, page 281:
      First, humans are altricial, with immature newborns and a long childhood.
    • 2016, Joseph Henrich, chapter 5, in The Secret of Our Success , Princeton: Princeton University Press, →ISBN:
      First, compared to other species, babies are altricial, meaning that they are weak, undermuscled, fat, and uncoordinated (sorry, babies, but it's true).

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

altricial (plural altricials)

  1. Such an animal.

See also

Portuguese

Pronunciation

  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /aw.tɾi.siˈaw/ , (faster pronunciation) /aw.tɾiˈsjaw/
 

Adjective

altricial m or f (plural altriciais)

  1. (zoology, of a species) altricial (having young which are helpless at birth)

Spanish

Adjective

altricial m or f (masculine and feminine plural altriciales)

  1. altricial
Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia