fossorial

F4O1S1S1O1R1I1A1L1

adjective

Of, pertaining to, or adapted for digging or burrowing.

Opposite
cursorial
OriginLatin fossōrius →
Scrabble 12
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Meanings

adjectivefossorial (comparative more fossorial, superlative most fossorial)

comparative more fossorial · superlative most fossorial

  1. biologyOf, pertaining to, or adapted for digging or burrowing.

    The most specialized fossorial mammals (moles, marsupial mole) are subterranean, seeking food and shelter underground and rarely coming to the surface.

    2006, Kenneth D. Rose, The Beginning of the Age of Mammals, Johns Hopkins University Press, →ISBN
nounfossorial (plural fossorials)

plural fossorials

  1. biologyAny digging animal (such as a mole)

Synonyms & antonyms

adjective(of limbs and feet) adapted for digging

Opposite
cursorial

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinfossōrius“adapted for digging or delving”
  2. Englishfossorial

From Latin fossōrius (“adapted for digging or delving”), from fodiō (“dig”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian риещ, ровещ
  • риещ (riešt)of, pertaining to, or adapted for digging or burrowing
  • ровещ (rovešt)of, pertaining to, or adapted for digging or burrowing
Chinese Mandarin 掘土的
  • 掘土的 (juétǔ de)of, pertaining to, or adapted for digging or burrowing
French fouisseur, fouisseuse
  • fouisseurof, pertaining to, or adapted for digging or burrowing
  • fouisseuseof, pertaining to, or adapted for digging or burrowing
  • fouisseurdigging animal
Hebrew מתחפרים
  • מתחפרים (mitchafrim)of, pertaining to, or adapted for digging or burrowing
Japanese 掘削性
  • 掘削性 (kussakusei)of, pertaining to, or adapted for digging or burrowing
Persian دالانساز
  • دالانساز (dalansaz)of, pertaining to, or adapted for digging or burrowing
Polish grzebiący, zwierzę grzebiące
  • grzebiącyof, pertaining to, or adapted for digging or burrowing
  • zwierzę grzebiącedigging animal
Portuguese fossorial, fossório
  • fossorialof, pertaining to, or adapted for digging or burrowing
  • fossórioof, pertaining to, or adapted for digging or burrowing
Spanish fosorial
  • fosorialof, pertaining to, or adapted for digging or burrowing
Vietnamese động vật ở hang
  • động vật ở hangof, pertaining to, or adapted for digging or burrowing
Welsh turiol, cloddiol
  • turiolof, pertaining to, or adapted for digging or burrowing
  • cloddiolof, pertaining to, or adapted for digging or burrowing

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with fossorial

editorialmemorialtutorialequatorialterritorialjanitorialpictorialcombinatorialborealgubernatorialfactorialsenatorialdirectoriallorealdictatorialarmorialprosecutorialcuratorialcorporealimmemorialprofessorialarborealmultifactorialconspiratorial
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

fossorial. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fossorial

MLA

“fossorial.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fossorial. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fossorial,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fossorial.

Source: fossorial on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.