1. a reptile of an ancient order that includes only the tuatara, characterized by a beak-like snout and primitive skull features
Usage: zoological

Examples

• The tuatara is the only surviving sphenodont in the modern world.
• Sphenodonts were once widespread but are now represented by a single species.
• Fossil evidence shows that sphenodonts lived alongside early dinosaurs.
• The sphenodont’s unique jaw structure distinguishes it from lizards and snakes.
• New Zealand’s tuatara is often called a living fossil because it is the last sphenodont.
• Scientists study sphenodonts to understand reptilian evolution.