Apedia

Means Elephants Pachyderm Greek Thick Meaning French Zoo

Pachyderm refers to any of various nonruminant mammals with hooves or hoof-like nails that usually have thick skin, especially an elephant.

Pachyderm은 일반적으로 두꺼운 피부를 가진 발굽이나 발굽과 유사한 발굽을 가진 어떤 종류의 비반추 포유동물, 특히 코끼리를 의미합니다.

Word pachyderm
Date October 2, 2020
Type noun
Syllables PAK-ih-derm
Etymology Pachydermos in Greek means literally "having thick skin" (figuratively, it means "dull" or "stupid"). It's from pachys, meaning "thick," and derma, meaning "skin." In the late 1700s, the French naturalist Georges Cuvier adapted the Greek term as pachyderme for any one of a whole assemblage of hoofed animals having thickish skin: elephants, hippopotamuses, rhinoceroses, tapirs, horses, pigs, and more. English speakers learned the word from French in the early 1800s. The adjective pachydermatous means "of or relating to the pachyderms" or "thickened" (referring to skin). Not too surprisingly, it also means "callous" or "insensitive" (somewhat unfairly especially to elephants, which are actually known to be rather sensitive).
Examples "'Rhino births are significant events at the Zoo so we are thrilled to share news of Niki's pregnancy and cannot wait to welcome this new addition to our herd,' said Rachel Emory, OKC Zoo curator of pachyderms." — The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City), 15 Feb. 2020

"The elephants, though, still needed to reach the river. They hewed close to the old route, the one imprinted on generations of pachyderm brains…." — Hannah Beech and Muktita Suhartono, The New York Times, 16 July 2020
Definition : any of various nonruminant mammals (such as an elephant, a rhinoceros, or a hippopotamus) of a former group (Pachydermata) that have hooves or nails resembling hooves and usually thick skin; especially : elephant

Tags: wordoftheday::noun

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