littermate: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowSpecialist, Veterinary, Common in Animal Breeding/Husbandry
Quick answer
What does “littermate” mean?
One of two or more animals born to the same mother in the same birthing.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
One of two or more animals born to the same mother in the same birthing.
An animal sibling from the same birth cohort, often implying a shared early developmental environment.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
None. Identical in meaning and usage.
Connotations
Neutral technical/descriptive term in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both dialects, confined to specific contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “littermate” in a Sentence
[Animal] and its littermate(s)a littermate of [Animal]among/between littermatesVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “littermate” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [Not applicable. 'Littermate' is only a noun.]
American English
- [Not applicable. 'Littermate' is only a noun.]
adverb
British English
- [Not applicable.]
American English
- [Not applicable.]
adjective
British English
- [Not applicable as a standalone adjective. Used attributively in 'littermate control'.]
American English
- [Not applicable as a standalone adjective. Used attributively in 'littermate control'.]
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Used in biological, veterinary, and psychological research (e.g., 'littermate control' in experiments).
Everyday
Used by pet owners, breeders, and animal enthusiasts.
Technical
Standard term in animal husbandry, breeding, and laboratory science.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “littermate”
- Using for human twins (incorrect).
- Spelling as 'litter mate' (should be solid or hyphenated: littermate or litter-mate).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is exclusively used for animals. For humans, use 'twin', 'triplet', or 'sibling'.
An animal from the same litter as the experimental subject, kept under control conditions. It helps isolate the variable being tested by providing a nearly identical genetic baseline.
It is most commonly written as one solid word (littermate), though the hyphenated form (litter-mate) is also occasionally seen.
This depends on the species and the time of separation. Some evidence suggests animals may retain recognition through scent, while in other cases, they may treat littermates as strangers if separated early.
One of two or more animals born to the same mother in the same birthing.
Littermate is usually specialist, veterinary, common in animal breeding/husbandry in register.
Littermate: in British English it is pronounced /ˈlɪt.ə.meɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈlɪt̬.ɚ.meɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this specific word]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: LITTER (the group of babies) + MATE (companion). A companion from the same birth litter.
Conceptual Metaphor
Shared Origin as Shared Identity (animals from the same 'batch' are fundamentally linked).
Practice
Quiz
For which of the following would the term 'littermate' be LEAST appropriate?