/al trish"euhl/ , adj. Zool. (of an animal species)
helpless at birth or hatching and requiring parental care for a period of time (opposed to precocial. )
[ 1870-75; altric-, s. of altrix wet nurse, nourisher ( al ( ere ) to nourish (cf. ALIMENT) + - trix -TRIX) + -AL 1 ]