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Synonyms

foreleg

American  
[fawr-leg, fohr-] / ˈfɔrˌlɛg, ˈfoʊr- /

noun

  1. one of the front legs of a quadruped, an insect, etc.

foreleg British  
/ ˈfɔːˌlɛɡ /

noun

  1. either of the front legs of a horse, sheep, or other quadruped

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of foreleg

First recorded in 1375–1425, foreleg is from the late Middle English word forlegge. See fore-, leg

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The elephant was reported to be underweight, have rough skin and abscesses on both hips, thinning foot pads, and a stiff left foreleg, making it difficult for him to walk and stand.

From Washington Times • Jul. 2, 2023

But the horse’s posture is actually that of a statue, its foreleg bent, its head in a dramatic profile that doesn’t quite match the angle of its body.

From New York Times • Jun. 1, 2023

Rio Moon “suffered a catastrophic injury to his left foreleg a few strides after the wire,” according to notes in the Equibase chart for the sixth race.

From Seattle Times • May 14, 2023

Once there, something peculiar happened: The spider reached up with a foreleg.

From Washington Post • Jun. 14, 2018

Then his injured foreleg gave way and he lurched sideways against the wall.

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.