*opte*

a. [ Gr. &unr_; spine + &unr_; wing. ] 1. (Zool.) Spiny-winged. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) Acanthopterygious. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Belonging to the order of fishes having spinose fins, as the perch. -- n. A spiny-finned fish. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., from Gr. &unr_; thorn + &unr_; fin, dim. fr. &unr_; wing. ] (Zool.) An order of fishes having some of the rays of the dorsal, ventral, and anal fins unarticulated and spinelike, as the perch. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Having fins in which the rays are hard and spinelike; spiny-finned. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 a genus of terrestrial ferns of tropical Asia and Africa.
Syn. -- genus Actiniopteris. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Taken by adoption; taken up as one's own; as, an adopted son, citizen, country, word. -- A*dopt"ed*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. 1. One who adopts. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Chem.) A receiver, with two necks, opposite to each other, one of which admits the neck of a retort, and the other is joined to another receiver. It is used in distillations, to give more space to elastic vapors, to increase the length of the neck of a retort, or to unite two vessels whose openings have different diameters. [ Written also adapter. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 a highly variable species (Angiopteris evecta) of very large primitive ferns of the Pacific tropical areas with high rainfall.
Syn. -- giant fern [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. 1 the smallest moa (Anomalopteryx oweni); it is a slender moa about the size of a large turkey.
Syn. -- Anomalopteryx oweni. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. [ Gr. 'archai^os ancient + pte`ryx wing. ] (Paleon.) A fossil bird, of the Jurassic period, remarkable for having a long tapering tail of many vertebræ with feathers along each side, and jaws armed with teeth, with other reptilian characteristics. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. an extinct primitive toothed bird (Archaeopteryx lithographica) of the Upper Jurassic having a long feathered tail and hollow bones; usually considered the most primitive of all known birds. Same as archaeopteryx.
Syn. -- archaeopteryx. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. the type genus of the Balaenopteridae.
Syn. -- genus Balaenoptera. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. rorquals; blue whales.
Syn. -- family Balaenopteridae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

{ } n. [ Gr. &unr_; mirror, fr. &unr_; visible. ] A reflecting optical glass or instrument; a mirror. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. kefalh` head + ptero`n wing. ] (Zool.) One of the generic names of the gigantic ray (Manta birostris) of the family Mobulidae, known as devilfish, sea devil, manta and manta ray. It is common on the coasts of South Carolina, Florida, and farther south, and is sometimes found as far north as New York Bay. Some of them grow to enormous size, becoming twenty feet of more across the body, and weighing more than a ton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) a genus of water ferns.
Syn. -- genus Ceratopteris. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Zool.) One of the Chiroptera; -- an older spelling of chiropter. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

‖prop. n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. chei`r hand + ptero`n wing. ] (Zool.) An earlier spelling for Chiroptera, an order of Mammalia, including the bats, having four toes of each of the anterior limbs elongated and connected by a web, so that they can be used like wings in flying. See Chiroptera and Bat. [ archaic ] [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

a. (Zool.) chiropterous; belonging to the Chiroptera, or Bat family. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Cheiropterygia [ NL., fr. Gr. chei`r hand + pte`ryx, pte`rygos wing, fin. ] (Anat.) The typical pentadactyloid limb of the higher vertebrates. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See chiroptera. ] any mammal belonging to the order chiroptera; a bat.
Syn. -- chiropteran; bat. [ PJC ]

n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. chei`r hand + ptero`n wing. ] (Zool.) an ancient order of mammalia dating to the early Eocene, including the bats. They are nocturnal mouselike mammals having four toes of each of the anterior limbs elongated and connected by a web, so that they form membranous wings that can be used in flying. They also have anatomical adaptations, including large ears, for echolocation, by which they navigate and in some cases find insects. The order includes the suborders Megachiroptera (the fruit bats) and Microchiroptera (insectivorous bats). See Bat. Previously spelled cheiroptera. [ archaic ] [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

n. same as chiropter.
Syn. -- chiropter; bat. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. nocturnal mouselike mammal with forelimbs modified to form membranous wings and anatomical adaptations for echolocation by which they navigate.
Syn. -- bat. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ Cf. F. chondropterygien. ] Having a cartilaginous skeleton. -- n. One of the Chondropterygii. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; cartilage + &unr_;, &unr_;, wing, fin. ] (Zool.) A group of fishes, characterized by cartilaginous fins and skeleton. It includes both ganoids (sturgeons, etc.) and selachians (sharks), but is now often restricted to the latter. [ Written also Chondropterygia. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) One of the Coleoptera. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; sheath-winged; &unr_; sheath + &unr_; wing. ] (Zool.) An order of insects having the anterior pair of wings (elytra) hard and horny, and serving as coverings for the posterior pair, which are membranous, and folded transversely under the others when not in use. The mouth parts form two pairs of jaws (mandibles and maxillæ) adapted for chewing. Most of the Coleoptera are known as beetles and weevils. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) One of the order of Coleoptera. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One versed in the study of the Coleoptera. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ a. [ Gr. &unr_;. ] (Zool.) Having wings covered with a case or sheath; belonging to the Coleoptera. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Of or pertaining to the Crossopterygii. -- n. One of the Crossopterygii. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_; tassels, a fringe + &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_;, dim. of &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_; wing, fin. ] (Zool.) An order of ganoid fishes including among living species the bichir (Polypterus). See Brachioganoidei. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a natural family comprising the lumpfishes.
Syn. -- family Cyclopteridae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. the type genus of the Cyclopteridae, consisting of lumpfishes. It includes Cyclopterus lumpus of the North Atlantic.
Syn. -- genus Cyclopterus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ Gr. da`ktylos finger + &unr_; wing, fin. ] (Zool.) Having the inferior rays of the pectoral fins partially or entirely free, as in the gurnards. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; skin + &unr_; wing. ] 1. (Zool.) The division of insects which includes the earwigs (Forticulidæ). [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) A group of lemuroid mammals having a parachutelike web of skin between the fore and hind legs, of which the colugo (Galeopithecus) is the type. See Colugo. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) An order of Mammalia; the Chiroptera.

[ Written also Dermaptera, and Dermatoptera. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) An insect which has the anterior pair of wings coriaceous, and does not use them in flight, as the earwig. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. ] (Zool.) Same as Dermopterygii. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; skin + &unr_; wing, fin, dim. of &unr_; wing. ] (Zool.) A group of fishlike animals including the Marsipobranchiata and Leptocardia. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ ‖ } n. [ L. dioptra, fr. Gr. &unr_;. See 2d Dioptric. ] An optical instrument, invented by Hipparchus, for taking altitudes, leveling, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; olive oil, oil + &unr_; winged, fleeting. ] (Chem.) The more liquid or volatile portion of certain oily substance, as distinguished from stearoptene, the more solid parts. [ Written also elaoptene. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) See Elæoptene. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. e'y^ well + &unr_; to plait + &unr_; a wing. ] (Zoöl.) An order of insects, including the earwig. The anterior wings are short, in the form of elytra, while the posterior wings fold up beneath them. See Earwig. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL., fr. Gr. "e`lix, "e`likos, a spiral + ptero`n a wing. ] a heavier-than-air aircraft whose lift is provided by the aerodynamic forces on rotating blades rather than on fixed wings. Contrasted with fixed-wing aircraft. [ PJC ]

v. i. to travel in a helicopter. [ PJC ]

v. t. to transport in a helicopter. [ PJC ]

n. One of the Heteroptera. [ 1913 Webster ]