Apus
A constellation of the southern sky, said to resemble a bird of paradise.
Proper noun
- A constellation of the southern sky, said to resemble a bird of paradise.
Origin
Named by Dutch explorers Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman between 1595 and 1597. From Latin apūs, from ἀ- (a-, “not”) + πούς (poús, “foot”); early specimens of birds of paradise obtained by Europeans had had their feet removed during traditional taxidermy, and were consequently believed by Europeans to lack feet—see Paradisaea apoda on Wikipedia.Wikipedia