Definition

Relating to or characteristic of mammals, which are warm-blooded animals that have hair or fur and usually give birth to live young.

Example

Humans are classified as mammalian because they have hair and produce milk for their young.

Conversation

Did you know that dolphins are mammalian creatures?

Yeah, it's fascinating how they're related to us!

Exactly! I find it amazing how many mammalian species are in the ocean.

For sure, they all have such unique adaptations.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Definition

A type of animal that belongs to the class Mammalia, characterized by having hair or fur and usually giving birth to live young and feeding them with milk.

Example

The dolphin is a fascinating mammalian species that lives in the ocean.

Conversation

Did you know that a dolphin is actually a mammalian creature?

Really? I always thought they were just big fish!

Nope, they're warm-blooded just like us, which makes them a mammalian species.

Root Explanation

Mammalian → It is formed from "mamma" (from Latin, meaning breast) and the suffix "-an" (meaning pertaining to). The word "mammalian" refers to animals that are related to or characteristic of mammals, which are defined by their ability to nurse their young with milk from mammary glands.

Memory Tip

Think of 'mamma' which relates to 'breast' — this helps you remember that 'mammalian' refers to animals that nurse their young.

Visually Confused Words