non-avian

adjective

non-avi·​an ˌnän-ˈā-vē-ən How to pronounce non-avian (audio)
variants or nonavian
1
: not of or relating to birds : not avian
… assorted nonavian creatures whirring, buzzing and croaking.—Richard Conniff
nonavian anatomy
2
: of, relating to, or being a non-avian dinosaur
non-avian theropods

Examples of non-avian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The group went extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period, as did other non-avian dinosaurs. — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2025 Lee compared the survival patterns to the coelacanth, a deep-water fish that survived the mass extinction that eliminated non-avian dinosaurs. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 27 Feb. 2026 Almost all of the largest plant and animal species on Earth were driven to extinction, including all of the non-avian dinosaurs and the last of the flying reptiles. — Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 2 Oct. 2025 After the non-avian dinosaur extinction 66 million years ago, placental mammals diversified explosively. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for non-avian

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of non-avian was in 1907

Browse Nearby Words

nonavailable
non-avian
non-avian dinosaur
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Non-avian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/non-avian. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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