Apus
/ˈeɪpəs/ name, noun
name, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 plural of APU form-of, plural
Proper Noun
- 1 A constellation of the southern sky, said to resemble a bird of paradise.
Synonyms
All synonymsEtymology
Named by Dutch explorers Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman between 1595 and 1597. From Latin apūs, from ἀ- (a-, “not”) + πούς (poús, “foot”); early specimens of birds of paradise obtained by Europeans had had their feet removed during traditional taxidermy, and were consequently believed by Europeans to lack feet—see Paradisaea apoda on Wikipedia.Wikipedia