Late 19th century; earliest use found in Cassell's Natural History. From Pteropus + -id, after scientific Latin Pteropidae, family name. With the use as noun compare French ptéropide, noun.
Definition of pteropid in US English:
pteropid
adjective
Zoology
= pteropodid.
noun
Zoology
= pteropodid.
Origin
Late 19th century; earliest use found in Cassell's Natural History. From Pteropus + -id, after scientific Latin Pteropidae, family name. With the use as noun compare French ptéropide, noun.