osculant

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   intermediate between two taxonomic groups and sharing characteristics of each

   The naturalist described the genus as osculant because it appeared to connect two otherwise distinct families.

2. 2
   adj

   closely joined, touching, or adhering

   The caterpillar's osculant feet clung tightly to the underside of the leaf.

From Latin osculans, osculantis, the present participle of osculari, 'to kiss.' The underlying image of touching or meeting led nineteenth-century naturalists to apply osculant to organisms or groups that appear to connect neighboring taxonomic divisions.

Topics

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