pterosaur

noun

ptero·​saur ˈter-ə-ˌsȯr 

: any of an order (Pterosauria) of extinct flying reptiles existing from the Late Triassic throughout the Jurassic and most of the Cretaceous and having a featherless wing membrane extending from the side of the body along the arm to the end of the greatly elongated fourth digit

Examples of pterosaur in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The earliest pterosaurs had only relatively short wings and retained a long tail. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024

Initially, large amphibians and non-dinosaur reptiles dominated the landscape with some of the first small mammals, turtles, and pterosaurs. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 27 Nov. 2024

For most of the past two centuries, scientists were aware of two major groups on the pterosaur evolutionary timeline. —Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Nov. 2024

The pterosaur was crafted in the late 1980s by Floyd Easterman, chief taxidermist of the Milwaukee Public Museum. —Maia Pandey, Journal Sentinel, 11 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Pterosauria, from Greek pteron wing + sauros lizard

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

pterosaur

noun

ptero·​saur ˈter-ə-ˌsȯ(ə)r 

: pterodactyl