plantigrade

American  

[plan-ti-greyd] / ˈplæn tɪˌgreɪd /

adjective

1. walking on the whole sole of the foot, as humans and bears.

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noun

1. a plantigrade animal.

plantigrade British  

/ ˈplæntɪˌɡreɪd /

adjective

1. walking with the entire sole of the foot touching the ground, as, for example, man and bears

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noun

1. a plantigrade animal

plantigrade Scientific  

/ plăn′tĭ-grād′ /

1. Walking with the entire sole of the foot on the ground, as humans, bears, raccoons, and rabbits.

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Other Word Forms

• subplantigrade adjective

Etymology

Origin of plantigrade

First recorded in 1825–35; from French plantigrade (noun), from New Latin plantigradus, equivalent to Latin plant(a) “sole of the foot” + -i- + -gradus; see -i-, -grade

Example Sentences

Sem′i-pellū′cid, imperfectly transparent; Sem′ipen′niform, half-penniform; Sem′i-per′fect, nearly perfect; Sem′i-pis′cine, half-fish; Sem′i-plant′igrade, incompletely plantigrade: partly digitigrade; Sem′i-plas′tic, imperfectly plastic.—ns.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various

His capacity of raising himself erect gives him this advantage; and from his great plantigrade posterior paws, combined with his powerful muscular legs, he can pitch forward with a velocity surprising as it is unexpected.

From Bruin The Grand Bear Hunt by Zwecker, Johann Baptist

Feet bear-like, but soles more hairy, and perhaps less completely plantigrade.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 4 "Carnegie Andrew" to "Casus Belli" by Various

Hind-feet plantigrade, with five toes, all provided with nails.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 10 "Echinoderma" to "Edward" by Various

It had something of the appearance of a badger—being low set on its legs, plantigrade in its hind-feet, and with a snout and tail very like those of that animal.

From The Young Yagers A Narrative of Hunting Adventures in Southern Africa by Reid, Mayne