pygostyle

English

Etymology

From English pygo- + Ancient Greek στῦλος (stûlos, “column”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpaɪɡəstaɪl/

Noun

pygostyle (plural pygostyles)

1. The plate supporting the tail-feathers in birds, formed from fused vertebrae.

   Synonyms: parson's nose, ploughshare bone, pope's nose, sultan's nose

   • 1971, Anthony Burgess, M/F, Penguin, published 2004, page 158:

     Aderyn the Bird Queen sat down; her pygostyle engaged a hard wooden bottom.

Derived terms

• propygostylar

Translations

the plate supporting the tail-feathers in birds

• French: pygostyle (fr) m
• German: Pygostyl n
• Irish: pígistíl f
• Spanish: pigóstilo m