What does digitigrade mean?
Digitigrade describes animals that walk on their toes rather than on the flat of the foot, with the heel and sole permanently lifted above the ground. Cats, dogs, wolves, foxes, horses, and most birds are digitigrade, as were many bipedal dinosaurs. The word comes from the Latin digitus, meaning finger or toe, combined with gradus, meaning step, so it literally means 'toe-stepping'. It stands in direct contrast to plantigrade, from planta (sole), which describes animals such as humans, bears, and raccoons that place the entire foot on the ground. Digitigrade locomotion effectively lengthens the limb, improving speed, agility, and in many cases quietness of movement — a key reason predators like felines move so stealthily. The term is primarily used in zoology, anatomy, veterinary medicine, and palaeontology, and while rare in everyday speech, it offers a precise and memorable way to describe one of nature's most widespread and successful designs for getting around.
(Of an animal) walking on the digits or toes, with the heel and sole of the foot raised and held off the ground.
"The wolf's digitigrade gait allows it to cover ground quietly and at speed."
Usually applied to whole species or groups (cats, dogs, horses, birds) rather than to individuals.
An animal that walks on its toes; a digitigrade animal.
"Unlike bears, which are plantigrades, wolves are digitigrades built for endurance running."
The plural applies only when digitigrade is used as a noun meaning a toe-walking animal. As an adjective, it does not take a plural form.
"Most carnivores are digitigrades, whereas humans and bears are plantigrades."
Every time a cat stalks silently across a room, it's walking on tiptoe — cats, dogs, and dinosaurs are all digitigrade, while clumsy-footed humans are not.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of digitigrade
Digitigrade derives from Latin digitus, meaning 'finger' or 'toe', joined to gradus, meaning 'step' or 'pace', via the verb gradi, 'to walk'. The same root gradi produced English words such as gradual, degree, degrade, and centigrade, while digitus gave rise to digit and digital. The term entered scientific English in the 19th century as zoologists systematised terminology for animal locomotion, alongside its counterpart plantigrade.
How digitigrade is actually used
A technical term used chiefly in zoology, comparative anatomy, veterinary science, and palaeontology. It appears only rarely in general conversation but is well established in scientific writing, often contrasted explicitly with 'plantigrade' and 'unguligrade'.
Easily confused with digitigrade
Plantigrade animals (like humans and bears) walk on the whole sole of the foot, whereas digitigrade animals walk on their toes alone.
Centigrade refers to a temperature scale divided into 100 degrees, not to a manner of walking.