First Known Use: 1826
Dictionary
mammal
noun mam·mal \ˈma-məl\
: a type of animal that feeds milk to its young and that usually has hair or fur covering most of its skin
Full Definition of MAMMAL
: any of a class (Mammalia) of warm-blooded higher vertebrates (as placentals, marsupials, or monotremes) that nourish their young with milk secreted by mammary glands, have the skin usually more or less covered with hair, and include humans
— mam·ma·li·an \mə-ˈmā-lē-ən, ma-\ adjective or noun
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Origin of MAMMAL
New Latin Mammalia, from Late Latin, neuter plural of mammalis of the breast, from Latin mamma breast
MAMMALS Defined for Kids
mammal
noun mam·mal \ˈma-məl\
Definition of MAMMAL for Kids
: a warm-blooded animal (as a dog, mouse, bear, whale, or human being) with a backbone that feeds its young with milk produced by the mother and has skin usually more or less covered with hair
Medical Dictionary
mammal
noun mam·mal \ˈmam-əl\
Medical Definition of MAMMAL
: any of the higher vertebrate animals comprising the class Mammalia
—mam·ma·li·an \mə-ˈmā-lē-ən, ma-\ adjective or noun
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