Anatum
/əˈneɪtəm/noun
A Latin taxonomic epithet used in names such as the American peregrine falcon subspecies Falco peregrinus anatum.
Did you know?Anatum comes from Latin anas, “duck,” and was used taxonomically because the American peregrine was historically associated with—and sometimes confused with—duck-hunting classifications.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*anat-
“A reconstructed Indo-European term associated with a waterfowl or duck”
Classical Latin
Latin
anas
“Duck”
Classical Latin
Latin
anatum
“Genitive plural of anas: “of ducks””
18th Century
Scientific Latin
Anas
“A genus name established for ducks”
19th–20th Century
Scientific Latin
anatum
“A taxonomic epithet meaning “of ducks””
Modern English
English
Falco peregrinus anatum
“The taxonomic name for the American peregrine falcon subspecies”