digitigradeadj.n.
/ˈdɪdʒᵻtɪɡreɪd/, U.S. /ˈdɪdʒᵻdəˌɡreɪd/ Chiefly Zoology.
A. adj.
That walks on the toes; adapted for or designating such a manner of walking. Also formerly: †of, relating to, or designating the former tribe Digitigrada of carnivorous mammals, including dogs, cats, mongooses, weasels, etc., whose members walk on their toes (obsolete). Cf. plantigrade adj. 1a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > by locomotion > [adjective] > adapted for walking > walking on the toes
digitigrade1827
toe-walking1894
1827 E. Griffith et al. Cuvier's Animal Kingdom II. 395 The walk of this animal is completely digitigrade.
1833 Penny Cycl. I. 4 The legs also are completely digitigrade; that is to say, the heel is elevated, and does not come into contact with the surface... Digitigrade animals, which tread only upon the toes..have much longer legs than plantigrade animals.
1873 Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc. 13 199 The inner malleolus is entirely without the groove for the tendon of the tibialis posticus muscle, and therefore different from many of the digitigrade Carnivora.
1951 G. R. de Beer Vertebr. Zool. (ed. 2) xxii. 275 Animals..like the dog, rest only the under surface of the fingers and toes on the ground, while the palm of the hand and sole of the foot take no share in bearing the animal's weight. This is the digitigrade condition.
1973 Nature 10 Aug. 374/2 The low brachial index of D[ryopithecus] africanus suggests that it was not adapted for either fast digitigrade running or habitual arm-swinging.
2006 S. M. Stirling Sky People v. 111 A good deal of its length was the powerful digitigrade legs, each with a great sickle-shaped claw held up against the hock.
B. n.
A digitigrade animal; a creature that walks on its toes. Formerly spec.: †any animal of the former tribe Digitigrada (obsolete).
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > by locomotion > [noun] > that walks > on its toes
digitigrade1827
1827 E. Griffith et al. Cuvier's Animal Kingdom II. 275 They may therefore be treated as intermediate between the digitigrades and plantigrades.
1845 W. Whewell Indic. Creator 41 Some of the orders of quadrupeds, namely the rodents, ruminants, digitigrades.
1873 Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc. 13 200 The calcaneum has the compressed form of the digitigrades.
1957 Mason City (Iowa) Globe-Gaz. 24 Sept. 4/4 Digitigrades..refers to animals which walk on toes only.
2001 San Diego Union-Tribune (Nexis) 28 Dec. (Local section) 1 Digitigrades, like dogs and cats, walk on the tips of their toes.
Derivatives
ˈdigitiˌgradism n. now rare the state or condition of being digitigrade.
ΚΠ
1887 E. D. Cope Origin Fittest 376 The groove of the astragalus deepens coincidently with the increase of digitigradism.
1910 Amer. Naturalist 44 558 The movements of the limb are chiefly at the upper joints... This is very different from the typical ‘digitigradism’ of the dog or cat.
2002 J. Agustí & M. Antón Mammoths, Sabertooths, & Hominids iv. 99 Some species were rather cursorial, with gracile distal limbs and some degree of digitigradism.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, November 2010; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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adj.n.1827