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crossopterygian
[ kro-sop-tuh-rij-ee-uhn ]
/ krɒˌsɒp təˈrɪdʒ i ən /
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noun
any fish of the group Crossopterygii, extinct except for the coelacanth, regarded as being ancestral to amphibians and other land vertebrates.
adjective
pertaining to or resembling a crossopterygian.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use crossopterygian in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for crossopterygian
crossopterygian
/ (krɒˌsɒptəˈrɪdʒɪən) /
noun
any bony fish of the subclass Crossopterygii, having fleshy limblike pectoral fins. The group, now mostly extinct, contains the ancestors of the amphibiansSee also coelacanth
adjective
of, relating to, or belonging to the Crossopterygii
Word Origin for crossopterygian
C19: from New Latin Crossopterygiī, from Greek krossoi fringe, tassels + pterugion a little wing, from pterux wing
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Scientific definitions for crossopterygian
crossopterygian
[ krŏ-sŏp′tə-rĭj′ē-ən ]
Any of a mostly extinct group of lobe-finned fishes of the order Crossopterygii, whose only living member is the coelacanth. One group of crossopterygians is thought to have evolved into terrestrial vertebrates beginning in the Devonian Period. See more at coelacanth.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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