tridactyl

American  

[trahy-dak-til] / traɪˈdæk tɪl /

adjective

Zoology.

1. having three fingers or toes, as certain reptiles.

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tridactyl British  

/ traɪˈdæktəl /

adjective

1. having three digits on one hand or foot

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Etymology

Origin of tridactyl

First recorded in 1805–15; tri- + -dactyl

Example Sentences

"It's what we call a tridactyl print. It's got these three toes that are very, very clear in the print."

From BBC

As you can see from the diagram here, tridactyl jerboa feet look remarkably like those of birds.

From Scientific American

Curious to tell, several species of woodpeckers are tridactyl—that is, three-toed—and still more curious is the fact that in their case the true hind toe is lacking, while the outer front toe is bent backward, or "reversed," as it is called, and is thus made to do service for a hind toe.

From Project Gutenberg

The tridactyl species are as expert climbers as any members of the family, and are extremely hardy birds, too, some of them dwelling the year round in cold northern climates, where the food question must often be a serious one.

From Project Gutenberg

Comparing Mesohippus with Eohippus, we observe that the former is much larger, some species attaining the size of a sheep, and has a relatively longer neck, longer limbs and much more elongate feet, which are tridactyl, and the middle toe is so enlarged that it bears most of the weight, while the lateral digits are very much more slender.

From Project Gutenberg