Rhipidistian
/ˌrɪpɪˈdɪstiən/noun
Relating to the Rhipidistia, a group of extinct lobe-finned fishes closely associated with the ancestry of tetrapods.
Did you know?The name ultimately invokes a fan, referring to the distinctive fan-like structure of these fishes’ fins rather than anything supernatural or ritualistic.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ῥιπίς (rhipís)
“A fan or anything shaped like a fan”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ῥιπίδιον (rhipídion)
“A small fan; a diminutive form used in scientific naming”
19th Century
Scientific Latin
Rhipidistia
“A taxonomic group name formed from the Greek fan-root, referring to fan-like fins”
19th Century
Scientific English
rhipidistian
“Relating to Rhipidistia”
Modern English
English
rhipidistian
“Relating to extinct lobe-finned fishes of the Rhipidistia”
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