tridactyl

[ trahy-dak-til ]

adjective

, Zoology.

1. having three fingers or toes, as certain reptiles.

tridactyl

/ traɪˈdæktəl /

adjective

1. having three digits on one hand or foot

Word History and Origins

Origin of tridactyl¹

First recorded in 1805–15; tri- + -dactyl

Example Sentences

As you can see from the diagram here, tridactyl jerboa feet look remarkably like those of birds.

From Scientific American

The tridactyl species are as expert climbers as any members of the family, and are extremely hardy birds, too, some of them dwelling the year round in cold northern climates, where the food question must often be a serious one.

From Project Gutenberg

Curious to tell, several species of woodpeckers are tridactyl—that is, three-toed—and still more curious is the fact that in their case the true hind toe is lacking, while the outer front toe is bent backward, or "reversed," as it is called, and is thus made to do service for a hind toe.

From Project Gutenberg

The upper Miocene genera, Protohippus and Hipparion are, to all intents and purposes, modern in character, but their smaller size, tridactyl feet and somewhat shorter-crowned teeth are reminiscences of their ancestry.

From Project Gutenberg

Comparing Mesohippus with Eohippus, we observe that the former is much larger, some species attaining the size of a sheep, and has a relatively longer neck, longer limbs and much more elongate feet, which are tridactyl, and the middle toe is so enlarged that it bears most of the weight, while the lateral digits are very much more slender.

From Project Gutenberg