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ar·chae·op·ter·yx

(är′kē-ŏptər-ĭks)

A small extinct vertebrate of the genus Archaeopteryx of the Jurassic Period, having feathered wings with claws and a long toothed snout. It has been classified variously as a prehistoric bird and as a theropod dinosaur.

[New Latin Archaeopteryx, genus name : ARCHAEO- + Greek pterux, wing; see pet- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

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archaeopteryx

cast of an archaeopteryx fossil

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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