non-avian
adjective
non-avi·an
ˌnän-ˈā-vē-ən 
variants
or
1
: not of or relating to birds : not avian
… assorted nonavian creatures whirring, buzzing and croaking.—
Richard Conniff
Richard Conniffnonavian anatomy
2
: of, relating to, or being a non-avian dinosaur
non-avian theropods
Examples of non-avian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The late Cretaceous period is the final period of the Age of Dinosaurs, which lasted from about 100 to 66 million years ago and ended with the mass extinction of non-avian dinosaurs.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
Almost all of the largest plant and animal species on Earth were driven to extinction, including all of the non-avian dinosaurs and the last of the flying reptiles.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 2 Oct. 2025
The group went extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period, as did other non-avian dinosaurs.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2025
Established back in 1955, Dinosaur Provincial Park has long been renowned for its abundance of fossils, with more than fifty non-avian dinosaur species discovered within its boundaries—and beyond ancient creatures, the region offers top-tier hiking opportunities and modern wildlife as well.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
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Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
Almost all of the largest plant and animal species on Earth were driven to extinction, including all of the non-avian dinosaurs and the last of the flying reptiles.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 2 Oct. 2025
The group went extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period, as did other non-avian dinosaurs.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2025
Established back in 1955, Dinosaur Provincial Park has long been renowned for its abundance of fossils, with more than fifty non-avian dinosaur species discovered within its boundaries—and beyond ancient creatures, the region offers top-tier hiking opportunities and modern wildlife as well.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Non-avian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/non-avian. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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