Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Dinornis giganteus

Dinornis giganteus

9.9
A very large extinct bird from New Zealand that stood about 12 feet tall
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : dinornis giganteus
  • Scientists believe that the Dinornis giganteus could reach heights of up to 12 feet.

Examples

  • The Dinornis giganteus likely stood taller than any other bird that ever lived.

  • Scientists study Dinornis giganteus fossils to understand prehistoric New Zealand fauna.

  • The bones of Dinornis giganteus have been discovered in several archaeological sites across New Zealand.

  • The Dinornis giganteus was one of the largest birds to ever exist.

  • Researchers have uncovered Dinornis giganteus remains that reveal information about its size and habitat.

  • Fossils of Dinornis giganteus provide insights into the ecosystem of ancient New Zealand.

  • The discovery of Dinornis giganteus bones has sparked interest in the study of extinct avian species.

Synonyms

giant moa
vsDinornis giganteus
  • New Zealand
9.9

A very large bird from New Zealand that cannot fly and is now extinct

is the formal scientific species name for that same bird

Surface Forms

Dinornis giganteus singular
Dinornis gigantei singular

Morphology

Dinornis + giganteus

This binomial name is compositionally built from the genus Dinornis (a large extinct flightless bird) plus the epithet 'giganteus' meaning 'giant', so a learner who knows both parts can infer it denotes a very large species of Dinornis. Although 'giganteus' is Latin, it is transparently related to English 'gigantic' and similar forms in other languages, making the overall meaning predictable from the constituents.

Etymology

Dinornis giganteus comes from old Greek and Latin words: Dinornis combines parts meaning 'terrible' and 'bird', and giganteus means 'giant', because this moa was enormous. So the name itself tells us it was a very large, extinct bird from New Zealand.