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Definition of pterodactyl - 3 dictionary results

pter⋅o⋅dac⋅tyl

[ter-uh-dak-til]
–noun
any of a number of genera of flying reptiles of the extinct order Pterosauria, from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, having a highly reduced tail and teeth and a birdlike beak.

Origin:
1820–30; < NL Pterodactylus genus name, equiv. to Gk pteró(n) wing + -daktylos -dactylous


pter⋅o⋅dac⋅tyl⋅ic, pter⋅o⋅dac⋅tyl⋅ous, adjective
pter⋅o⋅dac⋅tyl⋅id, adjective, noun
pter⋅o⋅dac⋅tyl⋅oid, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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pter·o·dac·tyl   (těr'ə-dāk'təl)   
n.  Any of various small, mostly tailless, extinct flying reptiles of the order Pterosauria that existed during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

[New Latin Pterodactylus, genus name : Greek pteron, feather, wing; see -pter + Greek daktulos, finger.]
pter'o·dac'ty·loid' adj., pter'o·dac'ty·lous adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

pterodactyl 
1830, from Fr. ptérodactyle (1821), from the Mod.L. genus name, from Gk. pteron "wing" (from PIE base *pet- "fly;" see petition) + daktylos "finger" (see daktyl).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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