lesser spotted
English
[edit]Adjective
[edit]lesser spotted (not comparable)
- (humorous) Part of the name of some (often fictional) species of animal, used as a placeholder for some obscure species that is of little interest or importance.
- She's traipsed off to Borneo to see the lesser spotted pygmy owl, or something like that.
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see lesser, spotted.
Usage notes
[edit]A common misconception is that the term refers to a species of animal that is less often seen when in the wild, but (other than in a humorous context) the two words act as independent adjectives.