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Glite Dictionary
non-avian

non-avian

7.9
An animal that is not a bird
  • adjective
  • /nɒnˈeɪviən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : no aviar
  • Many scientists study non-avian dinosaurs to better understand evolution.

Examples

  • Recent fossils suggest that some non-avian reptiles shared features with birds.

  • Dinosaurs are an example of non-avian reptiles.

  • The research focused on the anatomy of non-avian species in prehistoric ecosystems.

  • The non-avian species in the rainforest are fascinating.

  • Many scientists study non-avian dinosaurs, which are crucial to understanding the history of life on Earth.

  • Recent discoveries show that some non-avian reptiles had features that are typically associated with birds.

  • The study examined the traits of non-avian species to highlight their differences from avian ones.

Antonyms

avian
16 6.0

Relating to birds

Surface Forms

non-avian positive
non-avianer comparative
non-avianest superlative

Morphology

non-avian = avian (transparent) = non + avian

The negative prefix 'non-' combines directly with the adjective 'avian' to mean 'not avian', a straightforward and productive formation understandable to learners.

Etymology

The word non-avian is made from the prefix non- meaning 'not' and avian, which comes from the old Latin word avis meaning 'bird' and shows up in words like aviary and aviation. So non-avian simply means 'not a bird' or 'not relating to birds'.