Noun: archaeopteryx ,aa(r)-kee'óp-tu-riks
- Extinct primitive toothed bird of the Jurassic period having a long feathered tail and hollow bones; usually considered the most primitive of all birds
"Archaeopteryx is often referred to as a transitional fossil between dinosaurs and birds";
- archeopteryx, Archaeopteryx lithographica
Derived forms: archaeopteryxes
Type of: bird, birdie [informal]
Part of: genus Archaeopteryx, genus Archeopteryx
Encyclopedia: Archaeopteryx