pied lemming
Noun: A small rodent native to North America, specifically a species of lemming (Dicrostonyx genus) characterized by molting into a pure white winter coat and possessing some claws that become significantly enlarged, likely for digging in snow.
This is a specific zoological term. It refers to a particular animal, not a general concept. The name "pied" refers to its two-colored annual cycle (typically brown/gray in summer, white in winter), not to a patchy pattern. It is a countable noun (e.g., a pied lemming, three pied lemmings).
- The pied lemming is well-adapted to the Arctic tundra.
- Researchers studied the burrowing behavior of the pied lemming.
- During winter, the pied lemming's white coat provides excellent camouflage.
- The term is used primarily in scientific, ecological, and wildlife contexts.
- It can be part of a compound noun when specifying a particular species, e.g., .
- Collared lemming: Another common name for rodents of the genus, referring to a faint collar-like marking. This is often used synonymously with "pied lemming."
- Lemming (n): The general term for small rodents in the subfamily Arvicolinae, to which the pied lemming belongs.
- Collared lemming
- lemming
The word "pied" alone is an adjective meaning having two or more different colors, especially in blotches. However, in the compound term "pied lemming," it is part of a fixed name for the animal and does not carry its general adjectival meaning independently.
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North American lemming having a white winter coat and some claws much enlarged
