heterodactylous
or het·er·o·dac·tyl
[ het-uh-roh-dak-tuh-luh s or het-uh-roh-dak-til ]
/ ˌhɛt ə roʊˈdæk tə ləs or ˌhɛt ə roʊˈdæk tɪl /
adjective Ornithology.
having the first and fourth toes directed backward, and the second and third forward, as in trogons.
Origin of heterodactylous
First recorded in 1850–55;
hetero- +
-dactylous
Words nearby heterodactylous
heterocyclic,
heterocyst,
heterocytotropic,
heterocytotropic antibody,
heterodactyl,
heterodactylous,
heterodont,
heterodox,
heterodoxy,
heterodromous,
heterodyne
British Dictionary definitions for heterodactyl
heterodactyl
/ (ˌhɛtərəʊˈdæktɪl) /
adjective
(of the feet of certain birds) having the first and second toes directed backwards and the third and fourth forwards
noun
a bird with heterodactyl feet
Compare
zygodactyl