recurved

[ ree-kurvd ]

adjective

1. curved upward, as the bill of a bird.

Word History and Origins

Origin of recurved¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; recurve, -ed ²

Example Sentences

The flowers of Evergreen amaryllis feature mint green petals, and Wild Amazone has long, recurved petals in a blend of brick-red, maroon, ivory and pale green.

From Seattle Times

When Dr. Caron stuck several of the newly gained specimens under a high-powered scanning microscope, he spotted a ribbonlike structure studded with recurved teeth on both sides, like the business end of a chain saw.

From New York Times

A mouth of recurved teeth leaves little doubt that these dinosaurs often, if not primarily, ate flesh, and they share a basic body type of predatory dinosaurs through time.

From Scientific American

Their teeth look like knives, often compressed from side to side, recurved, and serrated along the cutting edges.

From Scientific American

As the ex-typhoon recurved into the Northern Pacific, it jolted the jet stream further southwards and helped drive cold air into parts of northern America.

From The Guardian