an Australian animal that is covered in fur and has a beak like a duck, webbed feet (= with skin between the toes) and a flat tail. Platypuses lay eggs but give milk to their young. Topics Animalsc2鸭嘴兽,鸭獭(栖于澳大利亚) Word Originlate 18th cent.: modern Latin, from Greek platupous ‘flat-footed’, from platus ‘flat’ + pous ‘foot’.