polydactyl

/,pɔli'dæktil/

Thân thiện

A newborn kitten with polydactyl paws sleeps in a basket.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Having more than the typical number of fingers or toes: Describes a person or other vertebrate animal born with extra digits on their hands or feet. This is a congenital physical condition.

Usage

• The term "polydactyl" is primarily used in medical, biological, and veterinary contexts to describe a specific anatomical variation.
• It is a formal, technical term. In casual conversation, one might say "has extra fingers/toes" instead.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • The kitten was polydactyl, with seven toes on each front paw.
  • The condition is called polydactyly, and an individual with it is described as polydactyl.
  • Some cat breeds, like the Maine Coon, have a high frequency of polydactyl individuals.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used attributively (before a noun) to modify the subject it describes.
  • The veterinarian examined the polydactyl puppy.
• The related noun form is polydactyly, which names the condition itself.
  • The study focused on the genetics of polydactyly.

Variants and Related Words

• Polydactyly (n): The condition of having supernumerary fingers or toes.
  • Polydactyly can be an isolated trait or part of a genetic syndrome.
• Polydactylous (adj): A less common synonym for "polydactyl."
  • The polydactylous bird had an unusual foot structure.

Synonyms

• Hyperdactyly (n): A synonymous medical term for the condition of having extra digits.
• Supernumerary digit(s) (n phrase): A descriptive phrase meaning "extra finger(s) or toe(s)."

Antonyms

• Oligodactyly (n): The condition of having fewer than the typical number of fingers or toes.
• Adactyly (n): The absence of fingers or toes.

Notes

• "Polydactyl" is derived from Greek roots: meaning "many" and meaning "finger" or "toe."
• While it can describe humans, it is a very common and well-known trait in domestic cats, where it is often considered a harmless and charming characteristic.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. of or relating to a person (or other vertebrate) having more than the normal number of digits

Từ đồng nghĩa

• polydactylous