Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun One of the stiff main feathers of a bird's tail, used to stabilize the bird while in flight and to control its direction.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun Same as
rectoress . - noun In ornithology, a tail-feather; one of the long or large quill-feathers of a bird's tail: so called from its use in directing or steering the course of a bird in flight, like a rudder.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun A governess; a rectoress.
- noun (Zoöl.) One of the quill feathers of the tail of a bird.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A
governess ; arectoress . - noun A
flight feather on the tails of birds, used for directional control.
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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_P.c. amoenissima_, and the black at the base of the inner webs of the outermost rectrix does not extend beyond the tip of the under tail coverts.
Birds from Coahuila, Mexico Emil K. Urban
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The outermost rectrix of No. 31633 is wholly white; the second rectrix is nearly as white.
Birds from Coahuila, Mexico Emil K. Urban
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Representatives of _P.c. amoenissima_ have black at the base of the inner web of the outermost rectrix more extended, usually showing beyond the tip of the under tail coverts.
Birds from Coahuila, Mexico Emil K. Urban
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On 30th July on the left side the central rectrix and the first and second posterior coverts were still growing, on the right side the central rectrix was also growing, but the first and second posterior coverts had ceased growth and formed their quills.
Hormones and Heredity J. T. Cunningham 1897
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The first right central rectrix in cock B was accidentally pulled out on
Hormones and Heredity J. T. Cunningham 1897
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On 2nd September the left central rectrix was almost at the end of its growth, the right had ceased to grow
Hormones and Heredity J. T. Cunningham 1897
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The singular form of retrices is rectrix which comes from the Latin word oar used to mean rower.
CreationWiki - Recent changes [en] Ashcraft 2010
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The singular form of retrices is rectrix which comes from the Latin word oar used to mean rower.
CreationWiki - Recent changes [en] Dresler101 2010
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The singular form of retrices is rectrix which comes from the Latin word oar used to mean rower.
CreationWiki - Recent changes [en] Dresler101 2010
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In order to find the equation of thefcab of prefTures, draw the right line K I parallel to the di - rectrix £ G, confidered as the axis to which the opdi« nates are perpendicular: let the preffure K £ zap and the abfcifTa £ L = K 1 = at.
A Treatise on Gun-powder ; A Treatise on Fire-arms ; and A Treatise on the Service of Artillery ... 1789
reesetee commented on the word rectrix
Flight feather in the tails of most modern birds. (Plural is rectrices.)
October 13, 2007
chained_bear commented on the word rectrix
Eew. It doesn't *sound* like that's what it is.
October 13, 2007
reesetee commented on the word rectrix
Just thank heavens you don't own any.
October 13, 2007
avivamagnolia commented on the word rectrix
~defined as a "female ruler," oddly enough, by one of those "worthless words" websites...can't find it now
January 18, 2009
sionnach commented on the word rectrix
Not to be confused with the pejorative (and sexist*) rixatrix.
* It's a pretty safe bet nobody referred to Attila as "a scold".
January 18, 2009