Harpagornis

noun

Har·​pa·​gor·​nis

ˈhärpəˈgȯrnə̇s

: a genus of extinct birds (family Accipitridae) much larger than any existing eagle and found in the Pleistocene of New Zealand

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek harpag-, harpax rapacious + New Latin -ornis; akin to Greek harpagē hook, rake

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!