hesperornis: Meaning and Definition of

hes•per•or•nis

Pronunciation: (hes"pu-rôr'nis), [key]
— n.
  1. a toothed aquatic bird of the extinct genus Hesperornis, fossils of which are found in rocks of Cretaceous age in Kansas, having the rear legs modified for swimming and reaching a length of more than 4 ft. (1.2 m).
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.