Illustration of star-nosed mole
star-nosed mole
noun
: a common black long-tailed semiaquatic mole (Condylura cristata) of the northeastern U.S. and adjacent Canada that has a series of pink fleshy projections surrounding the nostrils
Examples of star-nosed mole in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Iberian and star-nosed moles have three copies of this gene, while most mammals have only one.
—
Alejandra Manjarrez, Discover Magazine, 28 July 2023
In search of clues, Martínez Real and Jiménez Medina were part of a team that analyzed the genomes of the Iberian mole and one of its relatives, the star-nosed mole (Condylura cristata), whose females also develop ovotestes.
—Alejandra Manjarrez, Discover Magazine, 28 July 2023
Researchers compared the genomes of these mammals with those of a diverse assortment of others, including an aardvark, a meerkat, a star-nosed mole and a human.
—Emily Anthes, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2023
The star-nosed mole has 22 tentacle-like rays on its snout that provide it with an exceptional sense of touch.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 8 Oct. 2019
Gaze upon the male star-nosed mole and its 22 pink, fleshy appendages in place of a face.
—Leanne Italie, ajc, 23 Dec. 2022
The star-nosed mole can barely see, yet this hamster-size mammal is the fastest-hunting predator in the animal kingdom.
—Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2022
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Alejandra Manjarrez, Discover Magazine, 28 July 2023
In search of clues, Martínez Real and Jiménez Medina were part of a team that analyzed the genomes of the Iberian mole and one of its relatives, the star-nosed mole (Condylura cristata), whose females also develop ovotestes.
—Alejandra Manjarrez, Discover Magazine, 28 July 2023
Researchers compared the genomes of these mammals with those of a diverse assortment of others, including an aardvark, a meerkat, a star-nosed mole and a human.
—Emily Anthes, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2023
The star-nosed mole has 22 tentacle-like rays on its snout that provide it with an exceptional sense of touch.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 8 Oct. 2019
Gaze upon the male star-nosed mole and its 22 pink, fleshy appendages in place of a face.
—Leanne Italie, ajc, 23 Dec. 2022
The star-nosed mole can barely see, yet this hamster-size mammal is the fastest-hunting predator in the animal kingdom.
—Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'star-nosed mole.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1825, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near star-nosed mole
Cite this Entry
“Star-nosed mole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/star-nosed%20mole. Accessed 23 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
star-nosed mole
nounˈstär-nōzd-
: a black long-tailed mole of the northeastern U.S. and southeastern Canada that is found near or in water and has a bunch of pink fleshy projections surrounding the nostrils which are used as feelers in searching for food
More from Merriam-Webster on star-nosed mole
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about star-nosed mole
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