bird-hipped en · ADJ
Etymology
Calque of taxonomic name Ornithischia, from Ancient Greek ὄρνις (órnis, “bird”) + ἰσχίον (iskhíon, “hip joint”). In reference to the pelvic structures' superficial similarity to that of birds.
Meanings
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(not-comparable) Belonging to the clade †Ornithischia, a group of primarily herbivorous dinosaurs characterized by a pubis that projects backwards, running parallel to the ischium.
All dinosaurs belonged to a group of reptiles called archosaurs. There were two separate types of dinosaur, the lizard-hipped dinosaurs (saurischians) and the bird-hipped dinosaurs (ornithischians).
1975, The World of Dinosaurs, New York: Banner Press, Inc., page 8:Scientists classify dinosaurs in two main orders based on the shape of their hips. All dinosaurs were either lizard-hipped or bird-hipped.
1989, Karen Liptak, Pangaea: The Mother Continent, Tucson: Harbinger House, Inc., page 30:The only way to really tell the difference between a bird-hipped and lizard-hipped dinosaur is to examine their pelvis, or hip girdle.
1990, Teri Degler, Everything Your Kids Wanted to Know About Dinosaurs but Were Afraid to Ask, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Western Producer Prairie Books, page 85: