Autotomised

/ɔːˈtɒtəmaɪzd/ adjective

Definition

Having undergone self-amputation or having had a body part voluntarily or reflexively detached.

Etymology

From 'autotomise' (British spelling) + past participle '-ed'. British English variant of autotomized used in scientific literature.

Kelly Says

An autotomised lizard is one that has already dropped its tail—you can often spot these in the wild because they're running around with stub tails or fresh regenerating ones. Each time they autotomise, they lose energy and nutrients, so they're more cautious after the first escape.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

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