fossorial

[ fo-sawr-ee-uhl, -sohr- ]

adjective

, Zoology.

1. digging or burrowing.
2. adapted for digging, as the hands, feet, and bone structure of moles, armadillos, and aardvarks.

fossorial

/ fɒˈsɔːrɪəl /

adjective

1. (of the forelimbs and skeleton of burrowing animals) adapted for digging
2. (of burrowing animals, such as the mole and armadillo) having limbs of this type

Other Words From

• subfos·sori·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fossorial¹

1830–40; < Late Latin fossōri ( us ) adapted to digging (equivalent to Latin fod ( ere ) to dig + tōrius -tory ¹, with dt > ss ) + -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of fossorial¹

C19: from Medieval Latin fossōrius from Latin fossor digger, from fodere to dig

Example Sentences

Here in the Pacific Northwest spring, tiger salamanders emerge from their fossorial homes to breed, and the poisonous rough-skinned newt accelerates its activities with the warming sun.

From Seattle Times

We even come to identify with the elusive, fossorial animal, its plight not so different from our own.

From Seattle Times

The toads had always been in Kathy’s backyard, but the species is what biologists call fossorial.

From Washington Post

"It was only useful in this one particular instance, where you have got a really specialised fossorial animal - a digger," Dr Fraser said.

From BBC

"These tadpoles probably remained unnoticed all these years because of their fossorial nature, which in itself is a rare occurrence in the amphibian world," said Prof SD Biju from University of Delhi.

From BBC