mammal

From 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).

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈmæməl/

• Audio (US):

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• Rhymes: -æməl
• Hyphenation: mam‧mal

mammal (plural mammals)

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

• (animal of class Mammalia): amniote, synapsid

• See also Thesaurus:mammal