eutherian

[ yoo-theer-ee-uhn ]

adjective

1. belonging or pertaining to the group Eutheria, comprising the placental mammals.

noun

1. a eutherian animal.

eutherian

/ juːˈθɪərɪən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the Eutheria, a subclass of mammals all of which have a placenta and reach an advanced state of development before birth. The group includes all mammals except monotremes and marsupials

noun

1. any eutherian mammal

Word History and Origins

Origin of eutherian¹

1875–80; < New Latin Eutheri ( a ) (< Greek eu- eu- + thēría, plural of thēríon wild beast) + -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of eutherian¹

C19: from New Latin Euthēria, from Greek eu- + thēria, plural of thērion beast

Example Sentences

Some of the archaic species, such as taeniodonts, might have stemmed from Cretaceous eutherian ancestors and thus would be among the most primitive placentals on the trunk of the family tree.

From Scientific American

Montgomery, S. H. & Mundy, N. I. Microcephaly genes evolved adaptively throughout the evolution of eutherian mammals.

From Nature

According to his analysis, the teeth are roughly 145 million years old, the age of the rock formation in which they were found, and they’re dead ringers for eutherian mammals.

From National Geographic

They found that this glandular tissue expressed the same genes as eutherian placentas do in late fetal development.

From Nature

There are three kinds of mammals: egg-laying monotremes such as the platypus, marsupials like kangaroos and opossums, and the majority—placental, or eutherian, mammals—including humans and about 4400 other mammal species.

From Science Magazine