forelimb

noun

fore·limb | \ ˈfȯr-ˌlim

How to pronounce forelimb (audio)

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Definition of forelimb

: a limb (such as an arm, wing, fin, or leg) that is situated anteriorly the forelimb of a bat

Examples of forelimb in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For a typical walking animal, this creates a serious problem with gait: the forelimbs have to move into an awkward forward position for the animal to be balanced. — Michael B. Habib, Scientific American, "Pterosaurs Were Monsters of the Mesozoic Skies," 1 Oct. 2019 Unlike suspensory great apes that favor their forelimbs and bipedal hominins which prefer their hindlimbs, the anatomy of D. guggenmosi indicates that the ancient primate used both sets of limbs equally. — Andrea Michelson, Smithsonian, "New Ancient Ape Species Rewrites the Story of Bipedalism," 6 Nov. 2019 Taking cues from the anatomy of pterosaurs, which are real creatures that lived millions of years ago, Game of Thrones creator George R. R. Martin instead imagined his fictional dragons to have four limbs: two wings for forelimbs and two hind legs. — John Pickrell, National Geographic, "Unusual toothy pterosaur found hidden in the wrong group," 26 Nov. 2019 An earlier fossil found in South Africa revealed an adult from this group with its forelimb surrounding multiple juveniles, in what looks like a protective posture. — Tim Vernimmen, National Geographic, "Prehistoric parenting goes back even further than we thought," 23 Dec. 2019 Longer than an ocean liner and powered by strong forelimbs for grabbing unsuspecting creatures, the monster also had a graceful, feline-esque shape with shoulder blades above its spine and a long tail. — Ashley Strickland, CNN, "The science of Star Wars: How filmmakers made alien creatures believable," 19 Dec. 2019 Emtech, a 3-year-old colt, had two broken front forelimbs, track owners the Stronach Group said in a news release. — Steve Almasy, CNN, "Santa Anita Park has first horse death of fall meet, 32nd since last December," 28 Sep. 2019 So biologist Joel Hutson and geologist Kelda Hutson compared the forelimb mechanics of alligators with fossils from Postosuchus—a relative of early dinosaurs and an ancestor of alligators and crocodiles—to learn more about joint mobility. — Sarah Lewin Frasier, Scientific American, "Did Dinosaurs Walk on Their Fingertips at One Point?," 1 June 2015 The experts believe Hesperornithoides would have been covered with feathers, including long feathers on its forelimbs, effectively forming small wings. — John Pickrell, National Geographic, "Meet Lori, a tiny dinosaur that may help explain how birds evolved flight," 10 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'forelimb.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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“Forelimb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forelimb. Accessed 19 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for forelimb

forelimb

noun

fore·limb | \ ˈfȯr-ˌlim

\

Kids Definition of forelimb

: an arm, fin, wing, or leg that is located toward the front of the body

forelimb

noun

fore·limb | \ -ˌlim

\

Medical Definition of forelimb

: a limb (as an arm, fin, wing, or leg) that is situated anteriorly

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