Mammals Meaning and Definition
Mammals
Pronunciation
/ˈmæməlz/
Part of Speech
Noun
Definition
A warm-blooded animal that nourishes its young with milk and has hair or fur on its body.
Etymology
The word “Mammals” comes from the Latin word “mammalis”, meaning “pertaining to the breast”, which referred to the fact that the young of mammals are nourished with milk from their mother’s breasts.
Usage Notes
Mammals is often used as a plural noun, but it can also be used as a singular noun by hyphenating it as “Mammal-” (e.g. “Mammal classification”, “Mammal species”).
Cultural References
Mammals have been featured in various forms of media, such as films (e.g. “Babe: Pig in the City”), literature (e.g. “Of Mice and Men”), and video games (e.g. “Mammal-eaters” in “Final Fantasy X-2”).
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
- “Mammal-like” – meaning resembling a human or having a mammalian characteristic.
- “To give birth like a mammal” – meaning to give birth in the same way mammals do.
Related Words or Phrases
- Vertebrate