protrusile

American

[proh-troo-sil, -sahyl, pruh-] / proʊˈtru sɪl, -saɪl, prə- /

adjective

capable of being thrust forth or extended, as the tongue of a hummingbird.

protrusile British

/ prəˈtruːsaɪl /

adjective

Also: projectile. zoology capable of being thrust forwards

protrusile jaws

"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

Etymology

Origin of protrusile

1840–50; < Latin prōtrūs ( us ) (past participle of prōtrūdere to protrude ) + -ile

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Goblin sharks are deep-sea fish whose frightening, protrusile jaws served as an inspiration for the terrifying creatures in the “Alien” movie franchise.

From New York Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023