🐣 Without feathers 🌱 Not divided

nullipennate

9.9

With no feathers or wings, as in some animals

adjective
/ˌnʌlɪˈpɛnˌeɪt/

Specialized

: nulipennada

The zoologist noted the nullipennate condition of the rare species in her report.

Examples

The newly hatched chick was nullipennate and completely bare.
Some insects are described as nullipennate if they never develop wings.
Look at the nullipennate features!
The nullipennate form is fascinating!
A nullipennate bird like the ostrich cannot fly due to its lack of feathers.
In zoology, a nullipennate species may have adapted to life on land, losing the need for wings.
The biologist identified several nullipennate organisms that thrive in their unique environments.

Synonyms

wingless

vsnullipennate

2 3.5

Not having parts that let birds or insects fly

also covers lack of feathers not only absence of wings

featherless

vsnullipennate

1 4.1

An animal, often a bird, that does not have the soft outer covering

applies to animals lacking feathers or wings in scientific contexts

apterous

vsnullipennate

Specialized

9.9

An insect with no wings

is broader used for animals lacking feathers or wings

unfledged

vsnullipennate

9.9

Not yet covered in feathers, like a young bird or an arrow

focuses on simple physical absence not developmental stage

Antonyms

feathered

28 1.6

Covered or decorated with feathers

Surface Forms

nullipennate positive

Morphology

nullipennate = pennate (semi-transparent) = nulli + pennate

Formed by a negative combining form 'nulli-' plus the technical adjective 'pennate'; the meaning 'without pennate features' is predictable but the components are specialized and 'nulli-' is less familiar to learners.

Etymology

Nullipennate comes from the Latin parts nulli- meaning 'none' and pennate from penna meaning 'feather', the same root that gave us the old quill 'pen'. So it literally means 'no feathers', which is why zoologists use it for animals that have no feathers or wings.