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perissodactyl

[ puh-ris-oh-dak-til ]

adjective

  1. having an uneven number of toes or digits on each foot.


noun

  1. any mammal of the order Perissodactyla, comprising the odd-toed hoofed quadrupeds and including the tapirs, rhinoceroses, and horses.

perissodactyl

/ pəˌrɪsəʊˈdæktɪl; pəˌrɪsəʊˈdæktaɪl /

noun

  1. any placental mammal of the order Perissodactyla, having hooves with an odd number of toes: includes horses, tapirs, and rhinoceroses
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


adjective

  1. of, relating to, or belonging to the Perissodactyla
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

perissodactyl

/ pə-rĭs′ō-dăktəl /

  1. Any of various hoofed mammals of the order Perissodactyla, having one or three hoofed toes on each hindfoot. During the Tertiary Period, perissodactyls were the dominant herbivorous fauna. Horses, tapirs, and rhinoceroses are perissodactyls.
  2. Also called odd-toed ungulate


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Derived Forms

  • peˌrissoˈdactylous, adjective
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Other Words From

  • pe·risso·dacty·lous adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of perissodactyl1

1840–50; < New Latin perissodactylus < Greek perissó ( s ) uneven, literally, beyond the norm, strange (derivative of périx (preposition and adv.) round about, akin to perí; peri- ) + -daktylos -dactylous
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Word History and Origins

Origin of perissodactyl1

C19: from New Latin perissodactylus, from Greek perissos uneven + daktulos digit
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Example Sentences

In the year 1898 the family had to buy a new set of harness for the Perissodactyl.

These animals, which are grouped with the horse among the odd-toed (perissodactyl) mammals, are now verging toward extinction.

Or, to put it more definitely: hoofed animals are divided into two groups, even-toed (artiodactyl) and odd-toed (perissodactyl).

The great group is now usually divided into those that are odd-toed (Perissodactyl) and those that are even-toed (Artiodactyl).

One leading to the existing perissodactyl foot, and the other, apparently later, resulting in the artiodactyl type.

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