pterodactyl

[ ter-uh-dak-til ]
/ ˌtɛr əˈdæk tɪl /

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 of pterodactyl

1820–30; < New Latin Pterodactylus genus name, equivalent to Greek pteró(n) wing + -daktylos -dactylous

OTHER WORDS FROM pterodactyl

pter·o·dac·tyl·ic, pter·o·dac·tyl·ous, adjective pter·o·dac·tyl·id, adjective, noun pter·o·dac·tyl·oid, adjective

Words nearby pterodactyl

pteridophyte, pteridosperm, pterion, ptero-, pterocarpous, pterodactyl, pteroma, pteron, pteropod, pteropodium, pteropterin

Example sentences from the Web for pterodactyl

British Dictionary definitions for pterodactyl

pterodactyl
/ (ˌtɛrəˈdæktɪl) /

noun

any extinct flying reptile of the genus Pterodactylus and related genera, having membranous wings supported on an elongated fourth digit See also pterosaur

Word Origin for pterodactyl

C19: from ptero- + Greek daktulos finger

Scientific definitions for pterodactyl

pterodactyl
[ tĕr′ə-dăk′təl ]

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.