Artiodactyl

/ˌɑrtiːoʊˈdæktəl/ noun

Definition

Any mammal with an even number of toes on each foot, including deer, pigs, cattle, camels, and whales.

Etymology

From Greek artios ('even') and daktylos ('finger' or 'toe'). The term was coined to classify mammals whose weight is distributed equally between two main toes.

Kelly Says

Whales and dolphins are actually artiodactyls—their flippers contain the same bone structure as hoofed animals, which is how scientists proved whales evolved from land mammals that walked on even-toed hooves!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.