adjective. Relating to or being any of a group of flightless birds having a flat breastbone without the keellike prominence characteristic of most flying birds.

noun. A ratite bird, such as the ostrich or emu.

Raft-breasted, as a bird; having a flat breast-bone or sternum with no keel; having no keel, as a breast-bone; ecarinate; of or pertaining to the.

adjective. Of or pertaining to the Ratitæ.

noun. A bird of the order of Struthioniformes, a diverse group of large running, flightless birds, mostly extinct, but including the cassowary, elephant bird, emu, kiwi, moa, ostrich, rhea and tinamou

noun. flightless birds having flat breastbones lacking a keel for attachment of flight muscles: ostriches; cassowaries; emus; moas; rheas; kiwis; elephant birds

"Given that a few other Eocene European tetrapods have been suggested to be particularly closely related to South American taxa (namely the ratite Palaeotis, the peradectine opossums and the supposed anteater Eurotamandua), Ameghinornis and Aenigmavis were thought to perhaps indicate that phorusrhacids had originated in Europe and later spread (via Africa) to South America (Peters & Storch 1993)."

bird  

Rhea  aepyornis  apteryx  cassowary  dromaius novaehollandiae