Meaning & use

digitigrade

adjective·Advanced

Walking on the toes with the heel and wrist held off the ground.

See it in a sentence

Dogs and cats have digitigrade legs, which help them run quickly and quietly.

A digitigrade stance lets many predators move with speed and precision when hunting.

A note on using this word

Contrasts with 'plantigrade,' the flat-footed stance of humans and bears; a term mainly used in zoology.

Words with a similar meaning

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Words with an opposite meaning

plantigrade

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