tertial en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈtɜːʃl̩/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈtɝʃl̩/ (General-American)
Etymology
From Latin tertius (“third”); the tertial feathers are the third row of feathers. By surface analysis, terti- + -al.
Meanings
-
Any flight feather attached to the humerus (upper arm) of a bird.
He continues — "There was the same rear up, with the head bent down, followed by an upjerk of the hind parts; the long sickle-shaped tertials, so noticeable in this species, seemed little if at all expanded, […]
1923, Arthur Cleveland Bent, Life Histories of North American Birds: Wild Fowl, page 76:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| tertials | Number=Plur | lexicographic |