pter·o·dac·tyl

(tĕr′ə-dăk′təl)

Any of various pterosaurs of the group Pterodactyloidea of the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods, having a short tail or no tail, and including the pteranodons.

[New Latin Pterodactylus, genus name : Greek pteron, feather, wing; see -pter + Greek daktulos, finger.]

pter′o·dac′ty·loid′ n. & adj.

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.

pterodactyl

(ˌtɛrəˈdæktɪl) or

pterodactyle

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

[C19: from ptero- + Greek daktulos finger]

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

pter•o•dac•tyl

(ˌtɛr əˈdæk tɪl)

n.

any pterosaur, esp. of the sparrow-sized genus Pterodactylus, having a stubby tail and toothed jaws.

[1820–30; < New Latin Pterodactylus < Greek pteró(n) wing + -daktylos -dactylous]

pter`o•dac•tyl′ic, pter`o•dac′tyl•ous, adj.

pter`o•dac′tyl•id, adj., n.

pter`o•dac′tyl•oid`, adj.

pter·o·dac·tyl

(tĕr′ə-dăk′təl)

Any of various small, extinct, flying reptiles of the late Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods. The pterodactyls were about the size of small to mid-sized birds.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

pterodactyl - extinct flying reptile

flying reptile, pterosaur - an extinct reptile of the Jurassic and Cretaceous having a bird-like beak and membranous wings supported by the very long fourth digit of each forelimb

genus Pterodactylus, Pterodactylus - a reptile genus of Pterodactylidae

Translations

ptérodactyle

pterodáctilo

птеродактиль

pterodactyl

[ˌterəʊˈdæktɪl] N → pterodáctilo m

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

pterodactyl

n → Pterodaktylus m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

pterodactyl

[ˌtɛrəʊˈdæktɪl] n → pterodattilo

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

"Here," said he, pointing to the picture of an extraordinary flying monster, "is an excellent reproduction of the dimorphodon, or pterodactyl, a flying reptile of the Jurassic period.

The pyramidal rock upon which I saw and shot the pterodactyl was more accessible.

You will observe that both the pterodactyl and the stegosaurus are Jurassic, and therefore of a great age in the order of life.

View in context

The thing appeared to be some variety of pterodactyl, and what with its enormous size and ferocious aspect was most awe-inspiring.

View in context

By the time the thipdars had disposed of the last of the slaves the Mahars were all asleep upon their rocks, and a moment later the great pterodactyls swung back to their posts beside the queen, and themselves dropped into slumber.

View in context

I can visualize the entire scene--the apelike Grimaldi men huddled in their filthy caves; the huge pterodactyls soaring through the heavy air upon their bat-like wings; the mighty dinosaurs moving their clumsy hulks beneath the dark shadows of preglacial forests--the dragons which we considered myths until science taught us that they were the true recollections of the first man, handed down through countless ages by word of mouth from father to son out of the unrecorded dawn of humanity."

View in context

Deftly written by Thad Krasnesky in rhyming couplets, and with colorfully funny illustrations by Tanya Leonello, "Pterodactyl Show and Tell" is that story of a young boy who brings his pterodactyl to school for show-and-tell resulting in hilarious havoc.

Pterodactyl Show and Tell

Watch the shapeshifter, Beast Boy, transform into a pterodactyl by attaching his mask and wings.

Playtime just got super with Jollibee Kiddie Meal's new Teen Titans Go! To the Movies collectibles

We have been making dinosaurs out of paper plates, making papiermache dinosaur eggs, going on an egg hunt and we have even seen a video showing a pterodactyl flying around our outdoor area.

Grangetown Primary School

Unfortunately, the gang has to solve a problem that does not seem to have anything to do with the festive season - the town is being attacked by a pterodactyl.

Hunting ghosts of Christmas present; staying in

What do the dodo, mammoth and pterodactyl have in common?

QUIZ

She will be assisted by the Pterodactyl Zord, the only Zord that can soar in the skies.

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