anisodactylic
|an-i-so-dac-ty-lic|
/ˌænɪsəˈdæktɪlɪk/
unequal-toed (3 front, 1 back)
Etymology
'anisodactylic' originates from Modern Latin/technical formation using Greek elements: Greek 'anisos' meaning 'unequal' (rendered as the prefix 'aniso-') + Greek 'daktylos' ('finger, toe') plus English adjectival suffix '-ic'.
'anisodactylic' derives from Late Latin/Neo-Latin formations (e.g. 'anisodactylus') based on Greek 'anisodaktylos' (ἀνισοδακτύλος), which combined into English technical adjective forms in ornithology as 'anisodactyl-' + English adjectival endings.
Initially the components meant 'unequal' + 'finger/toe'; over time the term became a specialized ornithological adjective meaning specifically 'having three toes forward and one back.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having an arrangement of toes in which three toes point forward and one points backward (a common foot arrangement in many perching birds).
Many perching songbirds are anisodactylic, with three toes directed forward and one toe directed backward for grasping branches.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/13 06:06