insessorial

[in-suh-sawr-ee-uh l, -sohr-]

adjective

adapted for perching, as a bird's foot.

habitually perching, as a bird.

of or relating to birds that perch.

Nearby words

Origin of insessorial

1830–40; < New Latin Insessor(es) the perching birds (Latin: perchers, equivalent to insed-, variant stem of insīdere to settle on (in- in-² + sīdere to sit down) + -tōrēs, plural of -tor -tor) + -ial

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Examples from the Web for insessorial

Alau′da, a genus of insessorial birds, which includes the larks.
The New Gresham Encyclopedia. Vol. 1 Part 1|Various
His physical construction closely resembles that of his insessorial brethren, most of whom go when he comes.
Lippincott's Magazine, December, 1885|Various

British Dictionary definitions for insessorial

insessorial

adjective

(of feet or claws) adapted for perching

(of birds) having insessorial feet

Word Origin for insessorial

C19: from New Latin Insessōrēs birds that perch, from Latin: perchers, from insidēre to sit upon, from sedēre to sit

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012