Ungulate
/ˈʌŋ.ɡjʊ.lət/noun
An ungulate is a hoofed mammal.
Did you know?Ungulate comes from Latin ungula, meaning “hoof” or “claw,” from unguis, “nail,” showing how ancient languages grouped hooves, claws, and fingernails together as one hard, pointed power-shape.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₃n̥gʷʰis
“nail, claw”
Latin
Latin
unguis
“nail, claw”
Latin
Latin
ungula
“hoof, claw”
Late Latin
Latin
ungulatus
“having hoofs; hoofed”
19th Century
English
ungulate
“hoofed animal”
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