Ratitae
Ra*ti"t[ae]\, n. pl. [NL., fr. L. ratis a raft; cf. L. ratitus marked with the figure of a raft.] (Zo["o]l.) An order of birds in which the wings are small, rudimentary, or absent, and the breastbone is destitute of a keel. The ostrich, emu, and apteryx are examples.| ratitae | |
noun | |
| used in former classifications to include all ratite bird orders |