Word Study
ratite
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Noun ratite has 1 sense
- ratite(n = noun.animal) flightless bird, ratite bird - flightless birds having flat breastbones lacking a keel for attachment of flight muscles: ostriches; cassowaries; emus; moas; rheas; kiwis; elephant birds; Array is a kind of bird
has particulars: ostrich, struthio camelus, cassowary, dromaius novaehollandiae, emu, emu novaehollandiae, apteryx, kiwi, rhea, rhea americana, nandu, pterocnemia pennata, rhea, aepyornis, elephant bird, moa
Antonym: carinate
OXFORD DICTIONARY
ratite, adj. & n.
--adj. (of a bird) having a keelless breastbone, and unable to fly (opp. CARINATE).
--n. a flightless bird, e.g. an ostrich, emu, cassowary, etc.
--adj. (of a bird) having a keelless breastbone, and unable to fly (opp. CARINATE).
--n. a flightless bird, e.g. an ostrich, emu, cassowary, etc.
Etymology
L ratis raft
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