apterous

English

Alternative forms

• apteran

Etymology

By surface analysis, a +‎ -pterous, or by surface analysis, aptery +‎ -ous.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈæptərəs/

Adjective

apterous (not comparable)

1. (zoology) Without wings.

   Synonyms: apteral, unwinged, wingless

   Antonym: winged

   Coordinate terms: subapterous, brachypterous, bipterous, dipterous, tripterous; featherless

   Near-synonym: flightless

   • 2019, Chigozie Obioma, An Orchestra of Minorities, Abacus (2019), page 354:

     The source of light was thronged by moths and apterous insects.

2. (biology) Destitute of winglike membranous expansions, as a stem or petiole.

Derived terms

• subapterous

Related terms

• apteran
• apterium
• aptery (noun)
• Apterygiformes
• Apterygota
• Apteryx
• ptero- (and its derivatives)

Translations

wingless — see wingless