Word of the Day – Artiodactyl

Artiodactyl (adj)

ahr-tio-dak-til

Having an even number of toes or digits on each foot.

Artiodactyl is a compound of artio-, meaning “even number,” and -dactyl, meaning “finger, toe.” Artio- comes from Ancient Greek ártios, “even, fitting, perfect,” while -dactyl comes from dáktylos, which also referred to the fruit of the date palm tree. Artiodactyl was first recorded in English in the 1840s.

Example sentences

“The pen was full of giraffe, goats and other artiodactyl animals.”