archaeopteryx
|ar-chae-op-ter-yx|
🇺🇸
/ˌɑrkiˈɒptərɪks/
🇬🇧
/ˌɑːkiˈɒptərɪks/
ancient wing / early bird fossil
Etymology
'archaeopteryx' originates from New Latin, ultimately from Ancient Greek: 'arkhaios' meaning 'ancient' and 'pteryx' meaning 'wing' or 'feathered wing'.
'archaeopteryx' was coined in the 19th century in New Latin (taxonomic usage) from the Ancient Greek elements 'arkhaios' + 'pteryx' and entered scientific and then general English usage (e.g., Archaeopteryx lithographica named in 1861).
Initially it literally meant 'ancient wing' (referring to the fossil), and over time it has come to denote the specific genus of early bird-like dinosaurs and, figuratively, any transitional form.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a genus of late Jurassic bird-like dinosaurs (early birds) known from fossil remains, notably Archaeopteryx lithographica, showing both avian and reptilian features (feathers plus teeth and a long bony tail).
The discovery of an archaeopteryx specimen provided key evidence for the evolutionary link between dinosaurs and modern birds.
Synonyms
Noun 2
any individual fossil or specimen belonging to the genus Archaeopteryx.
Paleontologists compared two archaeopteryx fossils to determine variation within the genus.
Synonyms
Noun 3
(figurative) A transitional or early form that shows characteristics of two different groups; used metaphorically to describe something intermediate in development.
That prototype is an archaeopteryx between the old model and the new design.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/04 07:54