WordGarden.ioforeleg
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /fˈɔːlɛɡ/
US
- /ˈfɔrˌlɛɡ/
Meanings
Noun
a front leg of an animal
Beyond the definition
Imagine a horse galloping across a field: the powerful legs at the front are its forelegs. The term "foreleg" refers to the front limb of an animal, especially animals like horses, cattle, dogs, and other four-legged creatures. It helps carry weight, support movement, and sometimes dig, grab, or reach. You would not use "foreleg" for a human arm or leg. It is a word mainly used when talking about animal bodies.
The word "foreleg" paints a picture of an animal's body, specifically the leg at the front. While humans have separate arms and legs, many four-legged animals use their front limbs for both support and movement, and that is where "foreleg" comes in. It is most commonly used when talking about animals such as horses, cows, sheep, dogs, lions, and bears.
The context is key: you might hear a veterinarian examining a horse's foreleg for an injury, a farmer checking a cow's foreleg, or a wildlife biologist observing how a bear uses its forelegs to dig for roots. It is not usually used in everyday conversation unless the subject is animals.
The word is straightforward and practical. It appears in veterinary talk, animal care, farming, zoology, and nature writing whenever someone needs to describe the front leg of an animal clearly. So the next time you see a horse running or a dog digging, you can notice the strength and purpose of its forelegs.
Examples
- 1
Animal injury
The puppy was limping and would not put weight on its left foreleg.
- 2
Movement
The cat landed lightly on its forelegs and ran under the table.
- 3
Veterinary care
The vet wrapped the horse's foreleg after the race.
See also
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- forelegnoun
Forms
- forelegspluralnoun