plantigrade

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   walking with the entire sole of the foot touching the ground, as humans and bears do

   A bear leaves the broad heel-to-toe track typical of a plantigrade animal.

2. 2
   noun

   an animal that walks on the whole sole of each foot

   Darwin grouped bears among the plantigrades in his discussion of breeding in captivity.

Borrowed through French plantigrade from New Latin plantigradus, formed from Latin planta, 'sole of the foot,' + gradus, 'step.' The word literally describes an animal that steps on the full sole.

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