How Do You Spell GRAVIGRADE?

Pronunciation: [ɡɹˈavɪɡɹˌe͡ɪd] (IPA)

Gravigrade refers to an animal that moves slowly on their belly, such as snakes and caterpillars. The IPA phonetic transcription breaks down the spelling of this word into ˈɡrævɪˌɡreɪd, which includes the sounds of the hard "g" at the beginning followed by the short "a" sound. The "v" and "ɪ" sounds are then followed by a stressed long "a" sound and ending with a soft "d" at the end. Understanding the phonetics behind words can help with proper pronunciation and spelling.

GRAVIGRADE Meaning and Definition

1. Gravigrade is a term used to describe a specific mode of locomotion in animals, particularly mammals, that involves walking or moving with the body held parallel to the ground. The word "gravi" originates from the Latin term "gravis," meaning heavy, while "grade" refers to walking or moving. Therefore, gravigrade creatures are those that walk with a heavy, level body posture.

   With regards to anatomy, gravigrade animals have limbs located at the body's sides, directly beneath their torso. This positioning allows for a semi-erect position when walking or moving. This mode of locomotion involves the use of limbs, typically legs, to propel the body forward while maintaining a relatively stable position parallel to the ground. Examples of gravigrade animals include many mammals such as elephants, rhinoceroses, and pigs.

   Unlike other modes of locomotion, such as unguligrade (walking on hooves) or digitigrade (walking on the toes), gravigrade locomotion provides stability and support for larger, heavier animals. The movement is often slow and deliberate, allowing for better weight distribution and efficient force exertion.

   In summary, the term gravigrade refers to the walking or moving of animals with a parallel body posture to the ground. It is characterized by limbs placed at the sides of the body, providing stability and support for heavy animals during locomotion.

Common Misspellings for GRAVIGRADE

• fravigrade
• vravigrade
• bravigrade
• hravigrade
• yravigrade
• travigrade
• geavigrade
• gdavigrade
• gfavigrade
• gtavigrade
• g5avigrade
• g4avigrade
• grzvigrade
• grsvigrade
• grwvigrade
• grqvigrade
• gracigrade
• grabigrade
• gragigrade

Etymology of GRAVIGRADE

The word "gravigrade" is derived from two Latin roots: "gravis" meaning "heavy" and "gradus" meaning "step" or "grade". When combined, "gradus" refers to the manner or way of walking or stepping. The prefix "gravi-" emphasizes the heaviness or weight associated with this walking style. Therefore, "gravigrade" literally means "heavy step" and is used to describe animals that walk by placing the entire sole of their foot on the ground, such as elephants and bears.