artiodactyl

[ ahr-tee-oh-dak-til ]

adjective

1. Zoology. having an even number of toes or digits on each foot.

noun

1. a hoofed, even-toed mammal of the order Artiodactyla, comprising the pigs, hippopotamuses, camels, deer, giraffes, pronghorns, sheep, goats, antelope, and cattle.

artiodactyl

/ ˌɑːtɪəʊˈdæktɪl /

noun

1. any placental mammal of the order Artiodactyla , having hooves with an even number of toes; an even-toed ungulate. The order includes pigs, hippopotamuses, camels, deer, cattle, and antelopes

adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the order Artiodactyla

artiodactyl

/ är′tē-ō-dăk′təl /

1. Any of various hoofed mammals of the order Artiodactyla, having an even number of toes on each foot. Artiodactyls include the pig, sheep, ox, deer, giraffe, and hippopotamus.
2. Also called even-toed ungulate

Derived Forms

• ˌartioˈdactylous, adjective

Other Words From

• arti·o·dacty·lous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of artiodactyl¹

From New Latin, dating back to 1840–50; artio-, dactyl

Word History and Origins

Origin of artiodactyl¹

C19: from New Latin artiodactylus , from Greek ártios even + daktulos digit

Example Sentences

It may come as a surprise that whales and dolphins, collectively called cetaceans, are most closely related to the hoofed animals called artiodactyls.

From The Guardian

“That left us with sound, which sounded kind of crazy until we looked at vocal behavior of other artiodactyls,” O’Brien says.

From National Geographic

The Pronghorn or Pronghorn antelope* Antilocapra americana is a strikingly unique artiodactyl, endemic to western North America.

From Scientific American

Takins are muscular, stocky creatures that do not look like artiodactyls when seen briefly from the wrong angle.

From Scientific American

"Similar cases of mistaken identity have occurred in the past," Harrison says, including claims for Miocene primates in East Africa that turned out to be artiodactyls and other nonprimates.

From Science Magazine