anaptychus

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noun

One of a pair of shelly plates found in some cephalopods, such as the ammonites. They are now considered to have been parts of the jaw.

OriginNew Latin anaptychus ← Ancient Greek ἀνάπτυχος →
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Meanings

nounanaptychus (plural anaptychi)

plural anaptychi

  1. biologyOne of a pair of shelly plates found in some cephalopods, such as the ammonites. They are now considered to have been parts of the jaw.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἀνάπτυχος“unfolding”
  2. New Latinanaptychus
  3. Englishanaptychus

From New Latin anaptychus, from Ancient Greek ἀνάπτυχος (anáptukhos, “unfolding”), from ἀναπτύσσω (anaptússō, “to unfold”).

More words from New Latin, Ancient Greek

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Cite this entry
APA

anaptychus. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anaptychus

MLA

“anaptychus.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anaptychus. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “anaptychus,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anaptychus.

Source: anaptychus on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.