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pteranodon

[tuh-ran-uh-don]
noun
  1. a flying reptile of the extinct order Pterosauria, from the Cretaceous Period, having a wingspread of about 25 feet (8 meters).

Origin of pteranodon

< New Latin, equivalent to pter- pter- + Greek anódōn toothless (see an-1, -odont)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for pteranodon

Historical Examples of pteranodon

  • Whispers of the professor's pteranodon theory had passed about.

    The Flying Death

    Samuel Hopkins Adams

  • "Or the death-bird, the pteranodon," returned Professor Bavenden quietly.

    The Flying Death

    Samuel Hopkins Adams

  • The pteranodon rose, sounding its raucous croak as if in mockery.

    The Flying Death

    Samuel Hopkins Adams

  • At last, the pteranodon spread its huge brown pinions and took off.

  • However, I am merely defending the pteranodon's survival as an interesting possibility.

    The Flying Death

    Samuel Hopkins Adams

pteranodon in Science

pteranodon

[tə-răn′ə-dŏn′]
  1. Any of several very large, extinct flying reptiles (pterosaurs) of the genus Pteranodon of the Cretaceous Period. Pteranodon had a long pointed crest on its head, no teeth, a very short tail, and a wingspan upwards of 9 m (30 ft).
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.