zygodactyl

American

[zahy-guh-dak-til, zig-uh-] / ˌzaɪ gəˈdæk tɪl, ˌzɪg ə- /

adjective

Also zygodactylous. (of a bird) having the toes of each foot arranged in pairs, with two toes in front and two behind.

noun

a zygodactyl bird.

zygodactyl British

/ ˌzɪɡə-, ˌzaɪɡəʊˈdæktɪl /

adjective

(of the feet of certain birds) having the first and fourth toes directed backwards and the second and third forwards

"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

noun

a zygodactyl bird Compare heterodactyl

"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

Other Word Forms

zygodactylism noun

Etymology

Origin of zygodactyl

First recorded in 1825–35; zygo- + -dactyl

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.

Holding onto the branch with their fused, ‘zygodactyl’ feet, the males will rear up and head-butt each other with open mouths.

From Scientific American

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