digitigrade Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an animal that walks so that only the toes touch the ground as e.g. dogs and cats and horses
    digitigrade mammal.
  2. adjective (of mammals) walking on the toes with the posterior part of the foot raised (as cats, dogs, and horses do)

WordNet

Dig"i*ti*grade adjective
Etymology
L. digitus finger, toe + gradi to step, walk: cf. F. digitigrade.
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) Walking on the toes; -- distinguished from plantigrade.
Dig"i*ti*grade noun
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) An animal that walks on its toes, as the cat, lion, wolf, etc.; -- distinguished from a plantigrade, which walks on the palm of the foot.

Webster 1913