eutherian

adjective

eu·​the·​ri·​an yü-ˈthir-ē-ən How to pronounce eutherian (audio)
: of or relating to a major division (Eutheria) of mammals comprising the placental mammals
eutherian noun

Examples of eutherian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Their mammary glands are markedly different from those of eutherian mammals such as cows and humans that have nipples; monotremes instead secrete milk through specialized mammary hairs. Gat Rauner, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2024 But the rest of mammals, which come from the eutherian lineage, lost this trait early on, de Magalhaes says, and as a result our genes slowly decay under UV light. Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 2 Jan. 2024 Some of the archaic species, such as taeniodonts, might have stemmed from Cretaceous eutherian ancestors and thus would be among the most primitive placentals on the trunk of the family tree. Steve Brusatte, Scientific American, 1 June 2022 To do that, Harris Lewin, an evolutionary geneticist at the University of California, Davis, and colleagues compared 19 genomes of various mammals at different spots in the eutherian family tree, including several primates. Elizabeth Pennisi, Science | AAAS, 19 June 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'eutherian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

ultimately from New Latin eu- + Greek thērion beast — more at treacle

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of eutherian was in 1880

Dictionary Entries Near eutherian

Cite this Entry

“Eutherian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eutherian. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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