# pterodactyl

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌtɛɹəˈdæktl̩/ · frequency rank #67,756

## Definitions
1. A pterosaur of the genus Pterodactylus.
2. Any pterosaur.

## Etymology
From French ptérodactyle, a term coined by Cuvier from Ancient Greek πτερόν (pterón, “wing”) + δάκτυλος (dáktulos, “finger”). By surface analysis, ptero- + -dactyl.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/pterodactyl