Even though I had never seen this word before, I knew it meant "flat-nosed" because "
platy-" is
Greek for
flat (as in
platyhelminth, flatworm) and "
rhino-" is Greek for
nose (as in
rhinoplasty, nose shaping). I love Greek.
The word can be used as an adjective or a noun and refers to species of primates with flattened noses (commonly known as New World Monkeys) and outward-facing nostrils or just anyone or anything with an unusually flat or broad nose. "...and indeed it is a large, good word, and will bear repetition." – Mark Twain