apterium

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noun

An area of bare (featherless) skin on a bird.

OriginAncient Greek πτερόν →
Scrabble 12
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Meanings

nounapterium (plural apteria)

plural apteria

  1. biologyAn area of bare (featherless) skin on a bird.

    The two halves of the lower cervical tract are still separated by an apterium 4 mm. wide, as in the young bird, but contour feathers are now present on the chin and upper throat, so that they are united at their upper ends.

    1918, American Ornithologists' Union, The Auk

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekπτερόν“feather”
  2. Englishapterium

From a- + Ancient Greek πτερόν (pterón, “feather”) + -ium. Compare Ancient Greek ἄπτερος (ápteros, “featherless”).

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Portuguese aptéria
  • aptériaan area of featherless skin

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with apterium

Miriammycobacteriumbacteriumdeliriumimperiumdeuteriumcriteriumcorynebacteriumceriummagisteriumpuerperiumcyanobacteriumarchaebacteriumcollyriumelateriumenterobacteriumferroceriummeitneriumosmeteriumpsalterium
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

apterium. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/apterium

MLA

“apterium.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/apterium. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “apterium,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/apterium.

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