Apteryx

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Apteryx \Ap"te*ryx\, n. [Gr. 'a priv. + pte`ryx wing. Cf.
     {Aptera}.] (Zool.)
     A genus of New Zealand birds about the size of a hen, with
     only short rudiments of wings, armed with a claw and without
     a tail; the kiwi. It is allied to the gigantic extinct moas
     of the same country. Five species are known.


     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  apteryx
       n : nocturnal flightless bird of New Zealand having a long neck
           and stout legs; only surviving representative of the
           order Apterygiformes [syn: {kiwi}]