Definition

1. Noun:
   • A large extinct flightless bird: "Dinornis giganteus" refers to an extinct species of moa, a giant flightless bird native to New Zealand.
   • The largest species of moa: It is specifically identified as the tallest species within the moa family, reaching heights of approximately 12 feet (about 3.6 meters).

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Fossil evidence shows that the Dinornis giganteus was the largest bird to have ever lived in New Zealand.
  • Scientists study the bones of Dinornis giganteus to understand the ecology of prehistoric New Zealand.

Advanced Usage

• In paleontological context: The term is used in scientific literature to specify this particular species within the genus .
  • The dietary habits of Dinornis giganteus were inferred from gizzard contents found with fossils.

Variants and Related Words

• Moa (n): The common name for the family of extinct, flightless birds to which belongs.
  • Several species of moa, including the giant moa, became extinct after human settlement.
• Dinornis (n): The genus name.
  • The genus Dinornis included the largest moa species.

Synonyms

• Giant moa: The common English name for .
• Dinornis robustus (n): A closely related, similarly large species within the same genus. (Note: This is a different but related species).

Related Phrases

• Extinct megafauna: A phrase used to describe large extinct animals, a category which includes .
  • Dinornis giganteus is a classic example of avian megafauna that went extinct in the Holocene epoch.

Noun

1. the largest moa; about 12 feet high