pterygiophore

P3T1E1R1Y4G2I1O1P3H4O1R1E1

noun

Any of the bones in a fish that support the dorsal fin. There are two to three of them: proximal, middle, and distal. In spinous fins the distal is often fused to the middle or not present at all.

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Meanings

nounpterygiophore (plural pterygiophores)

plural pterygiophores

  1. marine biologyAny of the bones in a fish that support the dorsal fin. There are two to three of them: proximal, middle, and distal. In spinous fins the distal is often fused to the middle or not present at all.

Origin

From pterygium + -phore.

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Cite this entry
APA

pterygiophore. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pterygiophore

MLA

“pterygiophore.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pterygiophore. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pterygiophore,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pterygiophore.

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