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  1. platypus love

Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. A semiaquatic egg-laying mammal (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) of Australia and Tasmania, having a broad flat tail, webbed feet, and a snout resembling a duck's bill. Also called duckbill, duck-billed platypus.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. n. In entomology, a genus of xylophagous beetles of the family Scolytidæ: synonymous in part with Bostrychus.
  2. n. In mammalogy: A genus of monotremes, now called Ornithorhynchus.
  3. n. [lowercase] The species of this genus; the duckbilled platypus. See cut under duckbill.
  4. n. In ornithology, a genus of sea-ducks of the family Anatidæ and the subfamily Fuligulinæ: synonymous with Fulix.

Wiktionary

  1. n. An egg-laying, semi-aquatic mammal with a bill resembling that of a duck, that has a mole-like body, a tail resembling that of a beaver, a waterproof pelt, and flat webbed feet — males have poisonous spurs on the inside of the back legs; Ornithorhynchus anatinus

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. n. (Zoöl.) The duck mole. See under duck.

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. small densely furred aquatic monotreme of Australia and Tasmania having a broad bill and tail and webbed feet; only species in the family Ornithorhynchidae

Etymologies

  1. From Medieval Latin Platypus (originally a genus name, but already used for a type of beetle), from Ancient Greek πλατύπους (platypous, "flat-footed"), from πλατύς (platys, "flat") + πούς (pous, "foot"). (Wiktionary)
  2. New Latin Platypūs, former genus name, from Greek platupous, flat-footed : platu-, platy- + pous, foot. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

Examples

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synonyms (6)

Words with the same meaning

  1. duck mole
  1. duckbill
  1. duck-bill platypus
  1. duck-billed platypus
  1. watermole
  1. duckmole

hypernyms (2)

Words that are more generic or abstract

  1. egg-laying mammal
  1. monotreme

same context (13)

Words that are found in similar contexts

  1. cony
  2. clawless
  1. andamerican
  2. stoat
  1. witches'
  2. foul-tasting
  1. tough-looking
  2. headier
  1. one-hundred-dollar
  2. carmine-red
  1. 'orrible
  2. duck-billed
  1. ayahuasca

reverse dictionary (18)

Words that contain this word in their definition

  1. duckbill
  2. tambreet
  3. mullingong
  1. duck-billed platypus
  2. paradox
  3. duck mole
  1. monotreme
  2. platypus
  3. Ornithorhynchidae
  1. Prototheria
  2. subclass prototheria
  3. family ornithorhynchidae
  1. Ornithorhynchus
  2. mole rat
  3. platypoda
  1. mallagong
  2. prevomer
  3. water-mole

tags (3)

Free-form, user-generated categorization

  1. animal
  1. ccvcvcvc
  1. monotreme

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tagging (9)

Words tagged ‘platypus’

  1. duckbill
  1. duckmole
  1. gayardeeree
  1. jimmialong
  1. mullingong
  1. ornithorhynchus
  1. platypod
  1. tambreet
  1. watermole

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Lists

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Comments

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  • reesetee Pro, perhaps you'd enjoy a poem. Apr 16, 2011

  • Prolagus http://www.savagechickens.com/wp-content/uploads/chickenplatypus3.jpg"> Apr 8, 2011

  • Prolagus http://www.savagechickens.com/wp-content/uploads/chickenplatypus2.jpg"> Mar 31, 2011

  • qroqqa Another odd thing about this is that the ending is often pronounced with a full /-pʊs/. I wonder whether this is a relic of its coming from Greek -πους, or whether it's by association with the other furry animal name 'puss'.

    Oh, and Platypus is a genus of beetles. When they came to name the monotreme they gave it this genus name, but it was subsequently discovered the beetles have priority, so platypuses got reassigned to Ornithorhynchus. Jul 7, 2008

  • reesetee You may enjoy this then, chained_bear. :-) Mar 10, 2008

  • chained_bear See also ornithorhynchus—what a word—and water-mole. Mar 8, 2008

  • chained_bear "Jack, I cannot tell you how I long to see a platypus."

    "I remember you spoke of it last time we were there."

    "A damnable, a hellish last time it was too, upon my soul... New Holland is gravely in my debt."

    "Never mind. It will be much better this time. You shall watch great flights of platypuses at your leisure."

    "My dear, they are mammals, furry animals."

    "I thought you said they laid eggs."

    "So they do. That is what is so delightful. They also have bills like a duck."

    "No wonder you long to see one."
    --Patrick O'Brian, The Nutmeg of Consolation, 181 Mar 7, 2008

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‘platypus’ has been looked up 2193 times, loved by 3 people, added to 45 lists, commented on 7 times, and has a Scrabble score of 15.