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pterodactyl
(ter′ə dak′təl)
noun
- pterosaur: now a loose usage
- any of a suborder (Pterodactyloidea) of pterosaurs of the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods; specif., any of a genus (Pterodactylus) of this suborder
Origin: < ModL Pterodactylus: see ptero- & dactyl
See pterodactyl in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
Any of various small, mostly tailless, extinct flying reptiles of the order Pterosauria that existed during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.
Origin:
Origin: New Latin Pterodactylus, genus name
Origin: : Greek pteron, feather, wing; see -pter
Origin: + Greek daktulos, finger
.Related Forms:
- pterˌo·dacˈty·loidˌ adjective
- pterˌo·dacˈty·lous adjective
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