littermate

noun

lit·​ter·​mate ˈli-tər-ˌmāt How to pronounce littermate (audio)
: one of the offspring in a litter in relation to the others

Examples of littermate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Occasionally, such behavior is spotted in other species as well; in 2008, in Queensland, Australia, a dingo was observed carrying her deceased pup from place to place for four days while tending to its surviving littermates. Kathryn Schulz, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024 These barks will need to be thoroughly labeled by age, breed, and situation—separating out a 10-year-old male labradoodle barking at a stranger from a six-week-old bichon frise puppy playing with its littermate. Caroline Mimbs Nyce, The Atlantic, 17 Oct. 2024 At 11 weeks old, someone left him and his nine littermates on the side of a rural road in Oklahoma. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2024 And then there was one, curled up in a ball, in the grass, away from all her littermates. Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 21 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for littermate 

Word History

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of littermate was in 1921

Dictionary Entries Near littermate

Cite this Entry

“Littermate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/littermate. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

littermate

noun
lit·​ter·​mate -ˌmāt How to pronounce littermate (audio)
: one of a litter of offspring considered in relation to the other members of the litter
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!