forelimb

forelimb — noun

1. one of the two front body parts that stick out from the front part of an animal'

1.名詞B2
釋義

one of the two front body parts that stick out from the front part of an animal's body — for example, the front leg of a dog or horse, the wing of a bird, or the fin of a fish

例句

The puppy hurt its left forelimb when it jumped off the sofa.

count noun with possessive adjective

Most birds use their forelimbs as wings to lift themselves into the air.

plural form describing homologous structure

同義詞
  • front leg

    everyday term for four-legged animals; less technical than 'forelimb'

  • front limb

    slightly broader than 'forelimb'; used across general and semi-technical contexts

反義詞
  • hindlimb

    the equivalent anatomical term for a back limb

  • back leg

    everyday equivalent

用法筆記

In everyday speech, 'front leg' is more common than 'forelimb'. The word 'forelimb' is mainly used in scientific, veterinary, and anatomical writing. It is not normally used for human body parts — use 'arm' instead.

常見錯誤

❌The doctor examined the patient's forelimb.
✅The doctor examined the patient's arm.
💡'forelimb' is an animal term; use 'arm' for people.
❌The cat broke its forelimb and leg.
✅The cat broke its forelimb.' or 'The cat broke its front leg.
💡'forelimb' already includes the whole front limb; adding 'and leg' is redundant.