anniellids
|a-ni-el-lids|
/əˈniːəlɪdz/
(anniellid)
legless lizards of family Anniellidae
Etymology
'anniellid' originates from scientific New Latin 'Anniellidae', specifically the genus name 'Anniella' plus the family suffix '-idae', where 'Anniella' is the genus name used for these legless lizards.
'Anniellidae' was coined in taxonomic (New Latin) usage based on the genus name 'Anniella'; the English common-form noun 'anniellid' developed from that family name to refer to individual members of the family.
Initially the root was used strictly as a taxonomic name for the family, but over time 'anniellid' has come to be used in English to mean an individual animal belonging to that family.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'anniellid': members of the family Anniellidae, small legless lizards (often called California legless lizards) found in parts of western North America.
Anniellids are adapted for burrowing and are often found under leaf litter and loose soil.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/21 22:23