What does pterosaur mean?
A pterosaur was any member of an extinct group of flying reptiles that lived from the Late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous Period. They were the first vertebrates known to achieve powered flight, using wings that consisted of a tough membrane stretched over an elongated fourth finger and the body. Pterosaurs included animals of very different sizes and lifestyles, from small forms comparable in length to a modern bird to gigantic species with wingspans exceeding ten metres. Their fossils have been found in many parts of the world, and evidence suggests that some were capable of sophisticated flight and perhaps even long-distance migration. Although pterosaurs sometimes appear beside dinosaurs in museum displays and popular books, they were not dinosaurs but belonged to a separate evolutionary branch of reptiles. The term is especially useful for discussing the history of vertebrate flight.
nounAn extinct group of flying reptiles belonging to the order Pterosauria. Pterosaurs were the first vertebrates known to evolve powered flight, and they were not dinosaurs.
- Any member of the extinct order Pterosauria, a diverse group of flying reptiles with wings formed mainly by skin and supported by an elongated fourth finger.
"The fossil wings revealed that pterosaurs were remarkably sophisticated flyers."
"Researchers discovered a new pterosaur fossil in a remote desert."
"The enormous pterosaur soared above the coastline while searching for prey."
The standard plural is 'pterosaurs'.
"Several pterosaurs were preserved in the volcanic ash."
Pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to evolve powered flight, long before birds took to the air.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pterosaur come from?
The word comes from New Latin, combining forms derived from Greek pteron, meaning 'wing', and sauros, meaning 'lizard'. The suffix therefore refers to the animal's wing-like structure while preserving the older scientific idea of a winged reptile. The form entered English through nineteenth-century palaeontological usage, alongside related names such as pterodactyl and pteranodon.
Related word forms
How pterosaur is actually used
The word is standard in palaeontology and popular science. In general use, pterodactyl is sometimes treated as a synonym, although the terms are not technically identical.
Easily confused with pterosaur
Pterodactyl is commonly used as a general name for pterosaurs, but strictly it refers to members of the genus Pterodactylus.
Pterosaurs are often pictured alongside dinosaurs, but they form a separate group of reptiles and are not dinosaurs themselves.