platypus

From New Latin Platypus (originally a genus name already in use for a type of beetle), from Ancient Greek πλατύπους (platúpous, “flat-footed”), from πλατύς (platús, “flat”) + πούς (poús, “foot”).

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• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈplætɪpəs/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈplætɪˌpʊs/, IPA^(key): /ˈplætɪpəs/

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• Hyphenation: pla‧ty‧pus

platypus (plural platypuses or platypus or (common, hypercorrect, pseudo-Latin) platypi or (rare, nonstandard) platypodes)

1. A semi-aquatic, egg-laying monotreme mammal with a bill resembling that of a duck, that has a mole-like body, a tail resembling that of a beaver, a waterproof pelt, and flat webbed feet — males have poisonous spurs on the inside of the back legs; Ornithorhynchus anatinus
   • 2008 March 2, “Captive platypus twins make history”, in ABC News‎:

     Victoria's Healesville Sanctuary is celebrating the births of two baby platypuses, in a major milestone.

• For quotations of use of this term, see Citations:platypus.

• duck-billed platypus
• duckbill
• duckmole
• watermole

• platypusary
• platypussary

• echidna
• monotreme

• platypus on Wikipedia.Wikipedia