mammal
UK: ˈmæm.əl | US: ˈmæm.əl
n. A warm-blooded vertebrate animal of a class distinguished by the possession of hair or fur, the secretion of milk by females for the nourishment of the young, and (typically) the birth of live young.
The word "mammal" originates from the Latin mamma, meaning "breast," reflecting the defining characteristic of mammals: mammary glands that produce milk for offspring. The suffix -al was added in Modern Latin (Mammalia) to form a noun denoting the class of animals. The term was coined by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 to classify species sharing this trait, replacing earlier terms like "quadruped." The focus on lactation highlights the biological unity of this group.
Humans are the only mammal capable of complex speech.
The whale is a marine mammal that breathes air.
Mammals evolved around 200 million years ago.
A kangaroo is a marsupial mammal native to Australia.
The study focused on mammal behavior in urban environments.