Definitions
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun zoology Any
flying marsupial of thegenera Petaurus, Phalangista, Acrobata, and allied genera.
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Latin petaurista a ropedancer, acrobat, from Ancient Greek πετευριστής (peteuristēs), from πετευρίζομαι (peteurizomai, "dance on a rope"), from πέτευρον (peteuron, "a pole, a stage for ropedancers")
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Examples
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In the first ages this exercise was esteemed a religious rite, and performed by people of the temple where it was exhibited: but, in aftertimes, the same feats were imitated by rope-dancers and vagrants, called Petauristæ, and Petauristarii; who made use of a kind of pole, styled petaurum.
A New System; or, an Analysis of Antient Mythology. Volume I. Jacob Bryant 1759
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