Pronunciation: ' ra- ˌ t ī t
Function: noun
Etymology: ultimately from Latin ratitus marked with the figure of a raft, from ratis raft
Date: 1877
: a bird with a flat breastbone especially : any of various mostly flightless birds (as an ostrich, rhea, emu, moa, or kiwi) with small or rudimentary wings and no keel on the sternum that are prob. of polyphyletic origin and are assigned to a number of different orders
– ratite adjective