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Mammal: meaning, definitions and examples

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mammal

 

[ ˈmæməl ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

biological classification

A mammal is a warm-blooded vertebrate animal that belongs to the class Mammalia. Mammals are characterized by the presence of mammary glands, which produce milk for feeding their young, and hair or fur covering their bodies. Most mammals give live birth, although some, like the monotremes, lay eggs.

Synonyms

vertebrate, warm-blooded animal

Examples of usage

  • Humans are classified as mammals.
  • Whales and dolphins are aquatic mammals.
  • Bats are the only flying mammals.

Translations

Translations of the word "mammal" in other languages:

🇵🇹 mamífero

🇮🇳 स्तनधारी

🇩🇪 Säugetier

🇮🇩 mamalia

🇺🇦 ссавець

🇵🇱 ssak

🇯🇵 哺乳類

🇫🇷 mammifère

🇪🇸 mamífero

🇹🇷 memeli

🇰🇷 포유류

🇸🇦 ثدييات

🇨🇿 savci

🇸🇰 cicavce

🇨🇳 哺乳动物

🇸🇮 sesalec

🇮🇸 spendýr

🇰🇿 сүтқоректілер

🇬🇪 მამალი

🇦🇿 məməli

🇲🇽 mamífero

Word origin

The word 'mammal' is derived from the Latin word 'mamma', meaning 'breast', which reflects the defining feature of mammals—their ability to nourish their young with milk produced from mammary glands. The term was first formally used in the 18th century during the development of biological classification systems by scientists like Carl Linnaeus, who sought a systematic way to categorize living organisms. In the context of evolution, mammals emerged around 200 million years ago from earlier reptilian ancestors during the late Triassic period. The adaptive features that set mammals apart, such as hair and the ability to regulate body temperature, have allowed them to occupy a wide range of ecological niches across the globe.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #15,357, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.