quadrumanous

A quadrumanous primate uses all four limbs to grasp branches in the forest canopy.

Definition

Adjective - Having four hands: "Quadrumanous" describes a condition or characteristic of having four hands, typically used in zoology to refer to primates (such as monkeys and apes) that have all four limbs adapted as hands, with opposable digits for grasping.

Usage Examples

• (The chimpanzee's four hands enable it to move easily in trees.)
• (Lemurs were grouped based on their four grasping limbs.)

Advanced Usage

• "Quadrumanous locomotion": a type of movement using all four limbs as hands, common in arboreal primates.

  • The gibbon's quadrumanous locomotion involves swinging from branch to branch. (The gibbon moves by using all four hands.)

• "Quadrumanous grip": the ability to grasp objects with both hands and feet.

  • The infant monkey maintained a quadrumanous grip on its mother's fur. (The baby monkey held on using all four limbs.)

Variants and Related Words

• Quadrumanal (adj): relating to or characteristic of having four hands; synonymous with quadrumanous.

  • The quadrumanal adaptations of the spider monkey include a prehensile tail. (The spider monkey's features include a tail that acts like a hand.)

• Quadrumana (n, plural): a former taxonomic group of mammals with four hands, including monkeys, apes, and lemurs.

  • The Quadrumana were distinguished from the Bimana (humans) in early classification systems. (The group of four-handed animals was contrasted with two-handed humans.)

Synonyms

• Four-handed: having four hands; a simpler, less technical synonym.
  • The four-handed sloth is not truly quadrumanous, as its limbs are claws, not hands. (A sloth's limbs are not adapted as hands.)

Related Idioms

• None common. "Quadrumanous" is a technical term with no idiomatic usage.