PTEROSAUR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does pterosaur mean? 

• PTEROSAUR (noun)
  The noun PTEROSAUR has 1 sense:

1. an extinct reptile of the Jurassic and Cretaceous having a bird-like beak and membranous wings supported by the very long fourth digit of each forelimb

  Familiarity information: PTEROSAUR used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PTEROSAUR (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An extinct reptile of the Jurassic and Cretaceous having a bird-like beak and membranous wings supported by the very long fourth digit of each forelimb

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

flying reptile; pterosaur

Hypernyms ("pterosaur" is a kind of...):

archosaur; archosaurian; archosaurian reptile (extinct reptiles including: dinosaurs; plesiosaurs; pterosaurs; ichthyosaurs; thecodonts)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "pterosaur"):

pterodactyl (extinct flying reptile)

Holonyms ("pterosaur" is a member of...):

order Pterosauria; Pterosauria (extinct flying reptiles: pterosaurs)

 Context examples 

Brazil's National Museum, in Rio de Janeiro, unveiled the details surrounding the discovery of hundreds of remains of pterosaur bones and 300 eggs—some of them with preserved embryos—in China.

(Brazil and China scientists unearth pterosaur eggs with preserved embryos, Agência Brasil)

That makes Ambopteryx a powerful find, lending weight to the idea Yi qi did indeed develop a separate method of flight, similar to that of the pterosaurs but different to the line of dinosaurs that would eventually become birds.

(Second Bat-Like Dinosaur Discovered in China, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Approximately 300 pterosaur species have been found across all continents.

(Brazil and China scientists unearth pterosaur eggs with preserved embryos, Agência Brasil)

Pterosaurs are flying reptiles.

(Brazil and China scientists unearth pterosaur eggs with preserved embryos, Agência Brasil)