lesser spotted
Part of the name of some species of animal, used as a placeholder for some obscure or…Part of the name of some (often fictional) species of animal, used as a placeholder for some obscure or rare species that is of little interest or importance.
Meaning
3 senses(humorous, not comparable)Part of the name of some (often fictional) species of animal, used as a placeholder for some obscure or rare 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.
(broadly, humorous, not comparable)Rare or remarkable.
(not comparable)Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see lesser, spotted.
Origin
From the names of certain species of bird, such as the lesser spotted woodpecker, and theFrom the names of certain species of bird, such as the lesser spotted woodpecker, and the humorous idea that, on account of the complicated name, these species must be rare or obscure. In such names, "lesser spotted" means that the bird has a spotted plumage, and that it is smaller ("lesser") than others of its kind. The popular idea that "lesser spotted" means "seen (spotted) less often" is a misunderstanding of the origin of the phrase, or a play on words.
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