flight·less

(flīt′lĭs)

adj.

Incapable of flying. Used of certain birds, such as the penguin.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

flightless

(ˈflaɪtlɪs)

adj

(Animals) (of certain birds and insects) unable to fly. See also ratite

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

flight•less

(ˈflaɪt lɪs)

adj.

incapable of flying: flightless birds.

[1870–75]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.

flightless - incapable of flying

wingless - lacking wings

Translations

nelétavý

flugunfähig

lentokyvytön

ófleygur

che non pu volare

niet-vliegend

flightless

[ˈflaɪtlɪs] ADJ [bird] → no volador

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

flightless

[ˈflaɪtləs] adj [creature] → incapable de volerflight lieutenant flight-lieutenant n (British) → capitaine m de l'armée de l'airflight number n [plane] → numéro m de volflight path n → trajectoire f (de vol)flight recorder n → enregistreur m de volflight simulator n → simulateur m de volflight supplement n → supplément m vol

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

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References in periodicals archive

The flightless bird, attributed to the species Pachystruthio dmanisensis, was probably at least 3.5 meters tall and would have towered above early humans.

Birds three times larger than Ostrich existed in Taurida Cave, finds study

Based on a fossilised thigh bone uncovered in the Taurida Cave on the northern coast of the Black Sea, researchers estimate the flightless creature weighed around 70 stone (450kg) and stood nearly 15ft (4.5m) tall, towering over early humans between 1.5 and two million years ago.

Massive bird redraws map of prehistoric life in Europe; Science: Remains of 70 stone beast found

But researchers said the Crimean beast, probably flightless but fast-running, weighed more than 70st and was nearly 12ft tall.

12ft 'ostrich' ruled roost over Europe

Aside from the Flightless Cormorant, which is the only bird that can swim but can't fly?

QUIZ

A FLIGHTLESS bird that became extinct when its home island became flooded by the sea "came back to life" when a similar species evolved in the same location, scientists have discovered.

Extinct bird 'comes back to life' on isle

Cassowaries (Casuarius casuarius) are large, solitary, flightless birds native to the tropical forests and wetlands of New Guinea, northeastern Australia, East Nusa Tenggara, and the Maluku Islands.

The World's Most Dangerous Bird

The flightless angry birds and the scheming green piggies take their beef to the next level in "The Angry Birds Movie 2."

About 'The Angry Birds Movie 2'

Which flightless black-and-white bird has emperor and fairy varieties?

Quiz

Native New Zealanders call themselves "kiwis," not after the fruit but after the flightless kiwi bird, the national bird of New Zealand.

BRITTANY AYERS

As forests burned around the world the only birds to survive were flightless species that lived on the ground.

Meteor that killed the dinosaurs also wiped out flying birds - but those on the ground survived, scientists claim; As forests burned around the world the only birds to survive were flightless species that lived on the ground, according to a new study

Breathtaking footage of Antarctica and heartwarming (or heartbreaking) scenes from the life cycle of these dapper flightless birds fill this unforgettable video essay.

The Penguin Counters