protoavis
[ proh-toh-ey-vis ]
/ ˌproʊ toʊˈeɪ vɪs /
noun
a fossil bird of the genus Protoavis, from the Triassic Period, having a birdlike, partly toothless jaw structure, a tail and hind legs resembling those of the dinosaur, and the hollow bones and keellike breast that are characteristic of modern birds: the oldest known avian type, preceding the archaeopteryx by an estimated 75 million years.
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Origin of protoavis
Words nearby protoavis
protistology, protium, proto-, protoactinium, Proto-Algonquian, protoavis, protocal, protochordate, protocol, protocols, protocontinent
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020