lyrate

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   shaped like a lyre, especially with two outward curves that turn inward toward their ends

   The antelope's lyrate horns curved outward and then swept inward.

2. 2
   adj

   botany: having a large terminal lobe and smaller rounded lobes toward the base

   The plant produced a rosette of deeply lyrate leaves.

3. 3
   noun

   one of the long curved outer tail feathers of a male lyrebird

   The male lyrebird raised each lyrate above the finer tail feathers.

From New Latin lyratus, 'lyre-shaped,' from Latin lyra, 'lyre.' Naturalists applied it to curved horns, lobed leaves, and the lyrebird's long outer tail feathers. Lyrated is an established historical synonym.

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