protoavis

[ proh-toh-ey-vis ]

noun

1. a fossil bird of the genus Protoavis, from the Triassic Period, having a birdlike, partly toothless jaw structure, a tail and hind legs resembling those of the dinosaur, and the hollow bones and keellike breast that are characteristic of modern birds: the oldest known avian type, preceding the archaeopteryx by an estimated 75 million years.

Word History and Origins

Origin of protoavis¹

< New Latin (1986), equivalent to Greek proto- proto- + Latin avis bird

Example Sentences

They suggest that Protoavis was a contemporary of the earliest dinosaurs.

From Time Magazine Archive

But Protoavis has even more birdlike features than its younger cousin, Chatterjee believes.

From Time Magazine Archive

Tiny bumps along Protoavis' forelimbs could indicate where feathers were attached.

From Time Magazine Archive