Pelycosauria

plural noun

Pel·​y·​co·​sau·​ria

: an order of primitive Permian reptiles (subclass Synapsida) that resemble mammals and often have extreme development of the dorsal vertebral processes compare dimetrodon, edaphosaurus

pelycosaurian

¦⸗⸗⸗¦sȯrēən

adjective or noun

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from pelyco- (from Greek pelyk-, pelyx wooden bowl) + -sauria

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!