ratitae

2 definitions found

ratitae - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Ratitae \Ra*ti"tae\ (r[.a]*t[imac]"t[-e]), n. pl. [NL., fr. L.
     ratis a raft; cf. L. ratitus marked with the figure of a
     raft.] (Zool.)
     An order of birds in which the wings are small, rudimentary,
     or absent, and the breastbone is destitute of a keel. The
     ostrich, emu, moa, and apteryx are examples.
     [1913 Webster]

ratitae - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Ratitae
      n 1: used in former classifications to include all ratite bird
           orders [syn: Ratitae, superorder Ratitae]