: any of three South American ratite birds (Rhea americana, R. pennata, and R. tarapacensis of the family Rheidae) that resemble but are smaller than the African ostrich and that have three toes, a fully feathered head and neck, an undeveloped tail, and pale gray to brownish feathers that droop over the rump and back

Illustration of rhea

Illustration of rhea

Examples of rhea in a Sentence

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Where visitors can sit quietly, watching species interact with one another, and even see glimpses of certain animals—like pumas, Darwin’s rhea, and colocolo cats—that are more elusive. Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 May 2024 Eggshell fragments of rheas have been found at South American archaeological sites dating back to 8,000 years BP. Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 9 Apr. 2024 What to Do Travelers flock to Patagonia to experience the otherworldly beauty of Torres del Paine National Park and spot Patagonia’s wildlife, including the Big Five: pumas, llama-like guanacos, South Andean deer known as huemul, Andean condors, and the ostrich-like rhea (or ñandú). Nora Walsh, Travel + Leisure, 5 June 2023 The ratites are a group of birds that includes the ostrich and emu, as well as the kiwi, rhea (like a smaller, South American ostrich), and cassowary (with a bright blue face and what looks like a toenail on its head). Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 22 May 2014 Other animals like condors and rhea are being bred and released back into the landscape. Chloe Berge, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Apr. 2022 The ancestor of all the Pheidole could make supersoldiers, and some of the earliest species to evolve (like Pheidole rhea) kept this ability in its original form. Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 6 Jan. 2012 Ellen has also interrupted Blake’s TikToks to stare curiously at the phone — as has Princess, an affectionate deer, and Regina, a curious rhea. Annabelle Timsit, Washington Post, 16 July 2022 There, near the border with Chile, the 1,722-square-mile park encompasses subantarctic forests that preserve habitats for species such as the guemal, puma, rhea, condor, guanaco, and the calafate plant. Melissa Findley, National Geographic, 20 Nov. 2020

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, genus of birds, probably from Latin Rhea, mother of Zeus, from Greek

First Known Use

1797, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rhea was in 1797

Dictionary Entries Near rhea

Cite this Entry

“Rhea.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhea. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

rhea

noun
: either of two large three-toed South American birds that cannot fly and resemble but are smaller than the African ostrich

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