Cheiroptera

‖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 ]