pterodactyl

American  

[ter-uh-dak-til] / ˌtɛr əˈdæk tɪl /

noun

1. any of a number of genera of flying reptiles of the extinct order Pterosauria, from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, having a highly reduced tail and teeth and a birdlike beak.

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pterodactyl British  

/ ˌtɛrəˈdæktɪl /

noun

1. any extinct flying reptile of the genus Pterodactylus and related genera, having membranous wings supported on an elongated fourth digit See also pterosaur

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pterodactyl Scientific  

/ tĕr′ə-dăk′təl /

1. Any of various small, extinct flying reptiles (pterosaurs) of the genus Pterodactylus of the late Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods. Pterodactyls had long, narrow jaws with sharp teeth, and a wingspan of 1 m (3.3 ft) or less.

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Other Word Forms

• pterodactylic adjective
• pterodactylid adjective
• pterodactyloid adjective
• pterodactylous adjective

Etymology

Origin of pterodactyl

1820–30; < New Latin Pterodactylus genus name, equivalent to Greek pteró ( n ) wing + -daktylos -dactylous

Compare meaning

How does pterodactyl compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• pterosaur vs. pterodactyl

Explanation

Pretend that you are living during the Cretaceous period. Then look up at the sky. That fierce winged creature swooping down on you is a pterodactyl, a flying reptile. The word pterodactyl, pronounced "tear-uh-DACK-til," refers to a now-extinct group of winged reptiles known as pterosaurs. The word comes from the Latin Pterodactylus, the creatures' genus name, which originated in the Greek pteron, meaning “wing,” and daktulos, meaning “finger.” Although technically not a dinosaur, this flying reptile thrived during the same time period is as often seen among dinosaurs in movies.

Example Sentences

Both silly and subversive and championing nonconformity, the Pee-wee universe was a trippy place, populated by things such as a talking armchair and a friendly pterodactyl.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 31, 2023

That’s when Ausubel’s story really takes flight, with all the improbable buoyancy of a pterodactyl.

From Washington Post • Apr. 11, 2023

Clearly, this poor pterodactyl has been through a lot.

From Salon • Feb. 4, 2023

But Dino had not been lonely on his lengthy travels from China - he was accompanied by a pterodactyl model - and both have now been installed at the adventure golf course.

From BBC • Aug. 16, 2021

When he did, the battery icon on the back of his pterodactyl dipped down to three-quarters.

From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein