[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/pterodactyl/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [P](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/p/) / pterodactyl

# pterodactyl

noun (a pterodactyl, pterodactyls)

«pterodactyl» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A pterodactyl is a flying reptile that lived at the time of the dinosaurs, with wings made of skin stretched from a long finger. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pterodactyl/#m1)
2. In everyday talk, any flying reptile from that time (a pterosaur) is often called a pterodactyl. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pterodactyl/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science and history lessons it appears with dinosaurs and fossils; strictly it was not a dinosaur and not a bird. Phrases: a pterodactyl fossil, flying reptiles.

### Examples

- The pterodactyl soared over the sea. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pterodactyl/#x1)
- A pterodactyl was not a dinosaur, but it lived with them. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pterodactyl/#x2)
- We saw a pterodactyl skeleton at the museum. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pterodactyl/#x3)
- Pterodactyls had wings of skin. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pterodactyl/#x4)
- My little brother screeched like a pterodactyl. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pterodactyl/#x5)
- Pterodactyls died out about 66 million years ago. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pterodactyl/#x6)

### Note

Say ter-uh-DAK-til; the p is silent. «Ptero» means wing, «dactyl» means finger. Myth: pterodactyls were not dinosaurs and are not ancestors of birds.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «pterodactyl» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pterodactyl/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«pterodactyl» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/pterodactyl.html) on Mova free.