pterosaur

ptero·saur

noun \ˈter-ə-ˌsȯr\

Definition of PTEROSAUR

: any of an order (Pterosauria) of extinct flying reptiles existing from the Late Triassic throughout the Jurassic and most of the Cretaceous and having a featherless wing membrane extending from the side of the body along the arm to the end of the greatly elongated fourth digit

Origin of PTEROSAUR

New Latin Pterosauria, from Greek pteron wing + sauros lizard

First Known Use: 1862

Rhymes with PTEROSAUR

albacore, allosaur, alongshore, anaphor, anymore, archosaur, at death's door, at one's door, Bangalore, bargain for, Barrymore, canker sore, carnivore, carnosaur, close the door, Coimbatore, come in for, commodore, comprador, consignor, corridor, cuspidor, devisor, dinosaur, door-to-door, double door, Ecuador, either-or, Eleanor, elector, endospore, evermore, except for, forest floor, franchisor, from the floor, furthermore, general store, go in for, guarantor, Gwalior, hackamore, hadrosaur, hellebore, herbivore, heretofore, humidor, in line for, Koko Nor, komondor, Labrador, licensor, Lipitor, louis d'or, madrepore, Mangalore, man-of-war, manticore, matador, meteor, micropore, Minotaur, mirador, more and more, nevermore, not long for, omnivore, open-door, out-of-door, package store, parador, petit four, picador, pinafore, piscivore, pompadour, Pompadour, predator, promisor, saddle sore, sagamore, Salvador, semaphore, servitor, standard score, stand up for, stegosaur, stevedore, stick up for, superstore, sycamore, take the floor, theretofore, to die for, troubadour, tug-of-war, two-by-four, uncalled-for, underscore, unlooked-for, vavasor, warrantor

pterosaur

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Any of several extinct flying reptiles (order Pterosauria) that flourished during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods (206–65 million years ago). Pterosaurs hung by their long, slender hind limbs when at rest. They soared and glided on fragile, membranous wings that were attached to the long fourth finger of each forelimb and extended along the flank. The first three fingers were slender, clawed, clutching structures. Pterosaurs had a long, slender beak and a large brain. Ramphorhynchus had strong, sharply pointed teeth, a long tail, and a wingspread of about 3 ft (1 m). It probably obtained food by diving for fish. See also pterodactyl.