Petaurist \Pe*tau"rist\, n. [L. petaurista a ropedancer, Gr. ?, fr. ? to dance on a rope, fr. ? a pole, a stage for ropedancers: cf. F. p['e]tauriste.] (Zo["o]l.) Any flying marsupial of the genera {Petaurus}, {Phalangista}, {Acrobata}, and allied genera. See {Flying mouse}, under {Flying}, and {Phalangister}.