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pterosaur

American

[ter-uh-sawr] / ˈtɛr əˌsɔr /

noun

any flying reptile of the extinct order Pterosauria, from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, having the outside digit of the forelimb greatly elongated and supporting a wing membrane.

pterosaur British

/ ˈtɛrəˌsɔː /

noun

any extinct flying reptile of the order Pterosauria, of Jurassic and Cretaceous times: included the pterodactyls Compare dinosaur plesiosaur

"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

pterosaur Scientific

/ tĕr′ə-sôr′ /

Any of various extinct flying reptiles of the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods with wings consisting of a flap of skin supported by an elongated fourth digit on each forelimb (rather than an elongated second digit as in birds). Some pterosaurs were unique among reptiles in being covered with hair. Pterosaurs had wingspans ranging from less than 0.3 m (1 ft) to close to 15.2 m (50 ft).

Etymology

Origin of pterosaur

1860–65; < New Latin Pterosauria; see ptero-, -saur

Compare meaning

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

pterosaur vs. pterodactyl

Vocabulary lists containing pterosaur

Paleontology: Dinosaurs - Middle School and High School

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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.

See Examples For:

pterosaur

I’ve been an eyewitness to lost specimens turning up in a museum when a colleague spotted a dinosaur skull and pterosaur skeleton sitting on the wrong shelf like misplaced library books.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026

Using CT imaging and specialized software that allowed them to digitally model fossilized nervous system structures, the researchers concentrated on the closest known relative of the pterosaur.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 9, 2025

Scientists have discovered a new species of pterosaur – a flying reptile that soared above the dinosaurs more than 200 million years ago.

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2025

Also, the largest Jurassic pterosaur fossil, Dearc sgiathanach - a 170-million-year-old winged reptile.

From BBC ● Mar. 6, 2025

A newly described pterosaur found in Germany has provided fresh insights into how these flying reptiles evolved from small, climbing animals to the large, flying ones that dominated prehistoric skies.

From Science Magazine ● Nov. 27, 2024

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