Archaeopteryx

2 definitions found

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

  Archaeopteryx \Ar`ch[ae]*op"te*ryx\, n. [Gr. 'archai^os ancient
     + pte`ryx wing.] (Paleon.)
     A fossil bird, of the Jurassic period, remarkable for having
     a long tapering tail of many vertebr[ae] with feathers along
     each side, and jaws armed with teeth, with other reptilian
     characteristics.


     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  archaeopteryx
       n : extinct primitive toothed bird of the Jurassic period having
           a long feathered tail and hollow bones; usually
           considered the most primitive of all birds [syn: {archeopteryx},
            {Archaeopteryx lithographica}]