INSECTIVORA

Insectivora, order Insectivora

(noun) shrews; moles; hedgehogs; tenrecs

Source: WordNet® 3.1


In`sec*tiv"o*ra, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from L. insectum an insect + vorare to devour.] (Zoöl.)

1. An order of mammals which feed principally upon insects.

Note: They are mostly of small size, and their molar teeth have sharp cusps. Most of the species burrow in the earth, and many of those of cold climates hibernate in winter. The order includes the moles, shrews, hedgehogs, tanrecs, and allied animals, also the colugo.

2. A division of the Cheiroptera, including the common or insect- eating bats.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

27 December 2024

OBLIGATE

(adjective) restricted to a particular condition of life; “an obligate anaerobe can survive only in the absence of oxygen”


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Coffee Trivia

The Boston Tea Party helped popularize coffee in America. The hefty tea tax imposed on the colonies in 1773 resulted in America switching from tea to coffee. In the lead up to the Revolutionary War, it became patriotic to sip java instead of tea. The Civil War made the drink more pervasive. Coffee helped energize tired troops, and drinking it became an expression of freedom.

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