[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/monotreme/)

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# monotreme

noun (a monotreme, monotremes)

«monotreme» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

A monotreme is a mammal that lays eggs instead of giving birth to live young; the platypus and the echidnas are the only living monotremes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/monotreme/#m1)

### In the lessons

In science lessons on classification monotremes are a surprise: they are mammals (they have fur and feed babies milk) but lay eggs. They live only in Australia and New Guinea. Phrases: «egg-laying mammals», «the platypus is a monotreme».

### Examples

- The platypus is a monotreme, a mammal that lays eggs. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/monotreme/#x1)
- Echidnas are spiny monotremes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/monotreme/#x2)
- Monotremes feed their babies milk but have no nipples; the milk comes through the skin. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/monotreme/#x3)
- Only five kinds of monotreme are alive today. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/monotreme/#x4)
- Monotremes live in Australia and New Guinea. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/monotreme/#x5)
- The baby echidna is called a puggle. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/monotreme/#x6)

### Note

Countable. Said «MON-oh-treem». Other mammal groups: marsupials (pouch, like kangaroos) and placental mammals (like humans). Myth: «all mammals give birth to live young» is false because of monotremes.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «monotreme» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/monotreme/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«monotreme» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/monotreme.html) on Mova free.