Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
- n. A machine shaped like an aircraft that is held aloft and propelled by wing movements.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
- n. An aircraft that generates lift through the flapping of its wings.
from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A flying-machine in which an attempt is made to imitate the oscillatory movement of the wings of a bird.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- n. heavier-than-air craft that is propelled by the flapping of wings
Etymologies
Examples
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An ornithopter is an aircraft that gets its forward propulsion from the flapping of wings (the ORNITH – in ornithopter comes from the ltain for “bird” – putting “ornith” on a prefix makes it “bird-like”) an ornithopter is a heavier-than-air aircraft that is propelled by the flapping of wings.
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The ornithopter was the original one they had rebuilt years ago.
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The ornithopter was the original one they had rebuilt years ago.
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-- The term orthopter, or ornithopter, meaning bird wing, is applied to such flying machines as depend on wing motion to support them in the air.
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The thing descending from the sky was unmistakably an ornate ornithopter, wrought in the shape of a gigantic condor, enameled in blue, scarlet, and green.
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In the foreground is a butterfly ornithopter, an elf alien, a BoarCroc, and a satyr.
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Today on BoingBoing Gadgets, we reviewed a 3G USB modem that works great on Macs and high-end canine gear; listened to The Harmonium; drank a strictly-conforming European pint; watched Belkin try to bring novelty to the world of mouse pads; built an ornithopter and a difference engine; guzzled yoghurt with a specially-shaped spoon; and listened to a beautiful boombox in a double-bass fiddle.
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As I sit here in my ornithopter, debating whether to visit the excellent library of microfiche on Mars or to bathe in the pools of Venus, a few names come to mind ...
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I love the change from sand dunes and worms to market place and ornithopter!
Suvudu - Science Fiction and Fantasy Books, Movies, and Games: February 2009 Archives
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That meant an hour more standing around and sipping coffee, and it was a much more primitive ornithopter.
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