nonmammalian
|non-mə-meɪ-li-ən|
🇺🇸
/ˌnɑn.məˈmeɪ.li.ən/
🇬🇧
/ˌnɒn.məˈmeɪl.i.ən/
not a mammal
Etymology
'nonmammalian' originates from the prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non', meaning 'not') combined with 'mammalian', which derives from New Latin 'Mammalia' ultimately from Latin 'mamma' meaning 'breast'.
'nonmammalian' was formed in modern English by prefixing 'non-' to 'mammalian' (from New Latin 'Mammalia', from Latin 'mamma') and came into use in scientific and descriptive contexts to denote organisms outside the class 'Mammalia'.
Initially, the components meant 'not' + 'of Mammalia'; over time the compound has retained this literal sense and is used primarily in scientific and comparative contexts to mean 'not a mammal'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a nonmammalian organism; an organism that is not a mammal.
Researchers compared the immune responses of mammals and nonmammalians in the study.
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Adjective 1
not mammalian; relating to or characteristic of organisms that are not members of the class Mammalia.
Many nonmammalian vertebrates, such as birds and reptiles, have different reproductive systems than mammals.
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Last updated: 2025/12/30 21:19