mammal

Etymology

Modern Latin Mammalia, coined 1758 by Linnaeus for the class of mammals, from neuter plural of Late Latin mammalis (“of the breast”), from Latin mamma (“breast”), perhaps cognate with mamma (mother).

noun

  1. An animal of the class Mammalia, characterized by being warm-blooded, having hair and producing milk with which to feed its young.
  2. (paleontology) A vertebrate with three bones in the inner ear and one in the jaw.

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