noun / adjective
quadruped
KWAH-droo-ped/ˈkwɑːdruped/
An animal that normally walks on four feet, or describing such an animal.
The horse is a quadruped, standing on all four feet.
Etymology
The pieces mean “four-footed.” The Latin ancestor already served both as a description of moving on all fours and as a noun for an animal that does so.
In context
one of the few creatures that can move as a quadruped and a biped
More examples
- Dogs and cats are familiar quadrupeds.
- A quadruped animal supports its body on four feet.
- Unlike a quadruped, a bird normally walks on two feet.
Forms
quadruped · quadrupeds
quadrupedal adjective — Having or using four feet for walking.
Similar words
- four-footed
- Describes an animal's feet rather than naming the animal itself.
- four-legged
- Describes leg count and also applies to objects like tables.