archaeopteryx
noun
ar·chae·op·ter·yx ˌär-kē-ˈäp-tə-riks 
: a primitive crow-sized bird (genus Archaeopteryx) of the Upper Jurassic period of Europe having reptilian characteristics (such as teeth and a long bony tail)
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Twelve fossils of archaeopteryx have been found, the first discovered in the late 19th century by famed German paleontologist Hermann von Meyer. 
Chris Ciaccia, Fox News, 30 Sep. 2020 The fossil was discovered in the Solnhofen limestones in Bavaria, Germany, famous for the discovery of the first archaeopteryx and other shark and ray skeletons. Chris Ciaccia, Fox News, 18 Jan. 2021 Separately in October, researchers declared that the first-ever dinosaur feather discovered does indeed belong to the archaeopteryx, putting an end to a controversy that has waged within the scientific community for more than 100 years. Chris Ciaccia, Fox News, 17 Dec. 2020 Hoatzins are loud, conspicuous, freaky-looking, fairly common birds best known for having chicks with claws on their wings like archaeopteryx. Nell Zink, Harper's magazine, 28 Oct. 2019 For decades, paleontologists’ only fossil link between birds and dinosaurs was archaeopteryx, a hybrid creature with feathered wings but with the teeth and long bony tail of a dinosaur. Quanta Magazine, 2 June 2015 Some coelurosaurs started shrinking as far back as 200 million years ago — 50 million years before archaeopteryx emerged. Quanta Magazine, 2 June 2015 The highlight was the center’s most valuable display: a fossilized archaeopteryx from some 150 million years ago, one of 10 in the world (the others are all in Europe). Rachel Walker, idahostatesman, 12 May 2017 However, as a gesture of goodwill, Atheist Santa will leave your child with a set of wooden periodic-table blocks and a scale model of archaeopteryx. Lore Sjöberg, WIRED, 18 Dec. 2007 See More
Chris Ciaccia, Fox News, 30 Sep. 2020 The fossil was discovered in the Solnhofen limestones in Bavaria, Germany, famous for the discovery of the first archaeopteryx and other shark and ray skeletons. Chris Ciaccia, Fox News, 18 Jan. 2021 Separately in October, researchers declared that the first-ever dinosaur feather discovered does indeed belong to the archaeopteryx, putting an end to a controversy that has waged within the scientific community for more than 100 years. Chris Ciaccia, Fox News, 17 Dec. 2020 Hoatzins are loud, conspicuous, freaky-looking, fairly common birds best known for having chicks with claws on their wings like archaeopteryx. Nell Zink, Harper's magazine, 28 Oct. 2019 For decades, paleontologists’ only fossil link between birds and dinosaurs was archaeopteryx, a hybrid creature with feathered wings but with the teeth and long bony tail of a dinosaur. Quanta Magazine, 2 June 2015 Some coelurosaurs started shrinking as far back as 200 million years ago — 50 million years before archaeopteryx emerged. Quanta Magazine, 2 June 2015 The highlight was the center’s most valuable display: a fossilized archaeopteryx from some 150 million years ago, one of 10 in the world (the others are all in Europe). Rachel Walker, idahostatesman, 12 May 2017 However, as a gesture of goodwill, Atheist Santa will leave your child with a set of wooden periodic-table blocks and a scale model of archaeopteryx. Lore Sjöberg, WIRED, 18 Dec. 2007 See More Word History
Etymology
New Latin, from archae- + Greek pteryx wing; akin to Greek pteron wing — more at feather
First Known Use
1862, in the meaning defined above