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pterodactylic

 - 3 dictionary results

pter⋅o⋅dac⋅tyl

  [ter-uh-dak-til]
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–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

Related forms:
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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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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Science Dictionary
pterodactyl   (těr'ə-dāk'təl)  Pronunciation Key 


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Any of various small, extinct flying reptiles (pterosaurs) of the genus Pterodactylus of the late Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods. Pterodactyls had long, narrow jaws with sharp teeth, and a wingspan of 1 m (3.3 ft) or less.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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