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
Ants farmed fungus after dino demise Adding a discovery to this list that doesn’t directly involve dinosaurs might seem strange, but new findings about when ants began to farm fungus have added significant detail to the mass extinction that wiped out all the non-avian dinosaurs.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Dec. 2024
While an impact like this caused severe changes to the climate and ended the lines of most non-avian dinosaurs, a new study published in Communications Earth & Environment found that massive asteroid hits may not have changed the planet’s climate in the long term.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 5 Dec. 2024
The bird likely lived around 80 million years ago and died out before the fifth mass extinction event that wiped out most non-avian dinosaurs.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 26 Nov. 2024
But the reality is that asteroids did in fact lead to the end of the non-avian dinosaur era sixty-six million years ago.
—Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 2 Oct. 2024
Exactly how Microraptor flew isn’t entirely clear, but the non-avian dinosaur represents a different pathway for getting into the air and indicates that more than one feathery dinosaur lineage evolved to become airborne.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Sep. 2024
The extinction wiped out about 75% of species, including non-avian dinosaurs.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024
The huge space rock known as the Chicxulub impactor is widely believed to have ended the reign of non-avian dinosaurs, altering the planet's climate and paving the way for mammals to rise from the proverbial ashes.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 16 Aug. 2024
Sixty-six million years ago, an enormous asteroid collided with Earth, contributing to a mass extinction event that wiped out all the non-avian dinosaurs.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Aug. 2024
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Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Dec. 2024
While an impact like this caused severe changes to the climate and ended the lines of most non-avian dinosaurs, a new study published in Communications Earth & Environment found that massive asteroid hits may not have changed the planet’s climate in the long term.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 5 Dec. 2024
The bird likely lived around 80 million years ago and died out before the fifth mass extinction event that wiped out most non-avian dinosaurs.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 26 Nov. 2024
But the reality is that asteroids did in fact lead to the end of the non-avian dinosaur era sixty-six million years ago.
—Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 2 Oct. 2024
Exactly how Microraptor flew isn’t entirely clear, but the non-avian dinosaur represents a different pathway for getting into the air and indicates that more than one feathery dinosaur lineage evolved to become airborne.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Sep. 2024
The extinction wiped out about 75% of species, including non-avian dinosaurs.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024
The huge space rock known as the Chicxulub impactor is widely believed to have ended the reign of non-avian dinosaurs, altering the planet's climate and paving the way for mammals to rise from the proverbial ashes.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 16 Aug. 2024
Sixty-six million years ago, an enormous asteroid collided with Earth, contributing to a mass extinction event that wiped out all the non-avian dinosaurs.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Aug. 2024
Dictionary Entries Near non-avian
Cite this Entry
“Non-avian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/non-avian. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
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