dactyl

¹

[dak-til]

noun

1. Prosody.,  a foot of three syllables, one long followed by two short in quantitative meter, or one stressed followed by two unstressed in accentual meter, as in gently and humanly.

2. a finger or toe.

Dactyl

²

Or Dak·tyl

[dak-til]

noun

Classical Mythology.

plural

Dactyls, Dactyli 

1. any of a number of beings dwelling on Mount Ida and working as metalworkers and magicians.

-dactyl

³

1. variant of -dactylous, especially with nouns.

   pterodactyl.

dactyl

/ ˈdæktɪl /

noun

1. Also called: dactylic. prosody a metrical foot of three syllables, one long followed by two short ( ) Compare bacchius

2. zoology any digit of a vertebrate

Word History and Origins

Origin of dactyl¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin dactylus < Greek dáktylos finger, a dactyl, referring to the three joints of the finger

Origin of dactyl²

< Greek Dáktyloi ( Idaîoi ) (Idaean) craftsmen or wizards (plural of dáktylos; dactyl )

Word History and Origins

Origin of dactyl¹

C14: via Latin from Greek daktulos finger, dactyl, comparing the finger's three joints to the three syllables

Example Sentences

This appendage is comprised of a thumblike “propodus” and a hinging “dactyl” that swings open and shut at rapid-fire speed—despite only being as wide as a human hair.

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In a statement hailing their work, researchers said the robotic hand, which they’ve dubbed Dactyl, moves robots one step closer to “human-level dexterity.”

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As Dactyl improved at each stage of learning, its algorithm growing more adept, the challenges intensified.

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The video’s narrator says Dactyl’s accomplishment could also change how researchers view training general-purpose robots.

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OpenAI posted a video on YouTube showing Dactyl at various points in the robot’s training arc.

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When To Use

What does -dactyl mean?

The combining form -dactyl is used like a suffix with two related meanings. Depending on the context, it can mean "fingered, possessing fingers" or "toed, possessing toes." Essentially, -dactyl means "having digits." It is occasionally used in scientific terms, especially in anatomy and zoology.The form -dactyl comes from Greek dáktylos, meaning “finger” or “toe.” In poetry, the metrical foot known as a dactyl also derives from this same Greek root. Learn more at our entry for dactyl.What are variants of -dactyl?The form -dactyl is a variant of -dactylous, as in tetradactylous.While not a variant of -dactyl, -dactyly is also related to this form. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article for these combining forms.