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The quadrupeds include almost all the mammals. (Among the exceptions are whales, bats, and humans.) The Greek equivalent of this Latin word is tetrapod. However, the two are not identical, since the tetrapod classification includes bipeds such as birds, in which two of the limbs are no longer used for walking. Insects all have six legs, of course, and in the sea there are eight-legged octopods (including the octopus). But there are no animals of any kind with an odd number of legs.
Examples of quadruped in a Sentence
Horses and cows are quadrupeds.
Recent Examples on the Web
To reduce those risks, DEEP Robotics has now showcased its Pulse Firefighting Robot Dog, a quadruped robot designed to carry out remote fire suppression in areas that may be too dangerous for human responders.
—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
26 June 2026
Other applications might include robotics, such as adaptive robotic quadrupeds.
—
Shirl Leigh
may 22,
New Atlas,
22 May 2026
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Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
26 June 2026
Other applications might include robotics, such as adaptive robotic quadrupeds.
—
Shirl Leigh
may 22,
New Atlas,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quadruped.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quadruped. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
quadruped
noun
quad·ru·ped
ˈkwäd-rə-ˌped 
: an animal having four feet
Medical Definition
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