forelimb

Everyday

(science) One of the front legs of an animal with four legs, or the wing or arm that is in the same place, such as a bird's wing or a person's arm. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons about skeletons and evolution, the forelimbs of a human, a bat, a whale and a cat all have the same kinds of bones (one upper bone, two lower bones, many small hand bones), which shows they are related. In nature books, forelimbs are used for running, digging, swimming or flying.

Examples

• A bat's wing is its forelimb. tree →
• A mole uses its strong forelimbs to dig. tree →
• The kangaroo's forelimbs are short. tree →
• Whales have flippers instead of forelimbs with fingers. tree →
• T. rex had tiny forelimbs. tree →
• Human arms are forelimbs. tree →

Note

Scientific word. Opposite: «hind limb» (back leg). «Fore-» means «front», as in «forehead».