short-beaked
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Having a short beak: Describes an animal, typically a bird, whose beak is short in length relative to its head or body size.
Usage
- The adjective "short-beaked" is used attributively, meaning it is typically placed directly before the noun it modifies. It is a compound adjective formed from "short" and "beaked."
- It is a descriptive term used primarily in zoology, ornithology, and general descriptive writing.
Examples
- Attributive use:
- The short-beaked echidna is a unique egg-laying mammal found in Australia and New Guinea.
- We observed a flock of short-beaked common dolphins riding the bow wave of the ship.
- This guidebook helps identify short-beaked bird species in the region.
Advanced Usage
- In scientific classification: The term is often used in common names of species to distinguish them from similar, long-beaked varieties.
- Example: The short-beaked saddleback tamarin is a different species from its long-beaked relative.
Variants and Related Words
- Short-beak: (noun, less common) A reference to the characteristic of having a short beak.
- Example: The bird's short-beak is an adaptation for cracking specific seeds.
- Beak length: (noun phrase) A measurable trait; "short-beaked" implies a reduced beak length.
- Long-beaked: (adjective) The direct antonym, meaning having a long beak.
Synonyms
- Brachygnathous: (adjective, technical) Having a short or receding lower jaw.
- Short-billed: (adjective) Very similar in meaning, often used interchangeably for birds, though "beak" is a more general term than "bill."
Antonyms
- Long-beaked: Having a long beak.
- Long-billed: Having a long bill.
Adjective
- having a short beak