Definition of precocial in English:
precocial
adjective prɪˈkəʊʃ(ə)lprəˈkōSHəl
Zoology 1(of a young bird or other animal) hatched or born in an advanced state and able to feed itself almost immediately.
Also called nidifugous
Often contrasted with altricial
Example sentencesExamples
- Both parents remain with broods for several weeks following hatching of the precocial young.
- Young in precocial birds that are fed by their parents also engage in vocal and postural begging displays.
- Males leave the females soon after incubation begins, and females provide uniparental care for precocial young.
- Small eggs may jeopardize survival for precocial grouse chicks that rely extensively on nutrient stores after hatching.
- The young are precocial and are tended by both parents.
- 1.1 (of a particular species) having precocial young.
Example sentencesExamples
- Lack proposed that for species with precocial young, mean clutch size is determined by the average amount of nutrients available to females at the time of egg production.
- We predicted that species with precocial newborn should have synchronized births as an antipredator strategy.
Origin
Late 19th century: from modern Latin Praecoces (the name of a former division of birds, plural of Latin praecox 'mature before its time') + -ial.
Rhymes
asocial, psychosocial, social