perissodactyl (redirected from perissodactylous)

pe·ris·so·dac·tyl  (p-rs-dktl) Zoology

adj.

1. Having an uneven number of toes.

2. Of or relating to certain hoofed mammals, such as horses and rhinoceroses, of the order Perissodactyla, that have an uneven number of toes.

n.

A hoofed mammal of the order Perissodactyla.

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[New Latin perissodactylus, from Greek perissodaktulos : perissos, irregular, uneven (from peri, beyond); see per¹ in Indo-European roots + daktulos, finger.]

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pe·risso·dacty·lous (-dkt-ls) adj.

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perissodactyl  (p-rs-dktl)

Any of various hoofed mammals of the order Perissodactyla, having one or three hoofed toes on each hindfoot. During the Tertiary Period, perissodactyls were the dominant herbivorous fauna. Horses, tapirs, and rhinoceroses are perissodactyls. Also called odd-toed ungulate.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

perissodactyl - placental mammals having hooves with an odd number of toes on each foot odd-toed ungulate, perissodactyl mammal hoofed mammal, ungulate - any of a number of mammals with hooves that are superficially similar but not necessarily closely related taxonomically order Perissodactyla, Perissodactyla - nonruminant ungulates: horses; tapirs; rhinoceros; extinct forms equid, equine - hoofed mammals having slender legs and a flat coat with a narrow mane along the back of the neck rhino, rhinoceros - massive powerful herbivorous odd-toed ungulate of southeast Asia and Africa having very thick skin and one or two horns on the snout tapir - large inoffensive chiefly nocturnal ungulate of tropical America and southeast Asia having a heavy body and fleshy snout