platy (redirected from platys)

plat·y ¹  (plt)

adj. plat·i·er, plat·i·est

Designating soil or minerals occurring in flaky layers.

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plat·y ²  (plt)

n. pl. plat·ys or plat·ies

Any of several small freshwater live-bearing fishes of the genus Xiphophorus of southern North America popular in aquariums for their bright and variable colors. Also called platyfish.

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[Short for New Latin Platypoecilus, former genus name : platy- + Greek poikilos, many-colored; see peig- in Indo-European roots.]

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platy¹

adj platier, platiest

(Earth Sciences / Geological Science) of, relating to, or designating rocks the constituents of which occur in flaky layers platy fracture

[from plate + -y¹]

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platy²

n pl platy, platys, platies

(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Animals) any of various small brightly coloured freshwater cyprinodont fishes of the Central American genus Xiphophorus, esp X. maculatus

[shortened from New Latin Platypoecilus former genus name, from platy- + -poecilus, from Greek poikilos spotted]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

platy - small stocky Mexican fish; popular aquarium fish Platypoecilus maculatus live-bearer, poeciliid, poeciliid fish, topminnow - small usually brightly-colored viviparous surface-feeding fishes of fresh or brackish warm waters; often used in mosquito control genus Platypoecilus, Platypoecilus - platys