noun

pterodactyl

tehr-uh-DAK-tuhl

noun

A flying reptile from the dinosaur era with a long beak and wings made of skin stretched over a long finger bone.

"The museum's new exhibit features a life-size pterodactyl skeleton."

How to Use Pterodactyl

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA prehistoric flying reptile, often pictured with a long beak and wide leathery wings.

Common mistake

Pterodactyls were flying reptiles, not dinosaurs, and not birds — a common mix-up in casual usage.

pterodactyls plural

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The museum's new exhibit features a life-size _____ skeleton.

From French ptérodactyle, coined by naturalist Georges Cuvier from Greek pteron ("wing") + daktylos ("finger").