triceratops

[ trahy-ser-uh-tops ]

noun

1. any of various dinosaurs of the genus Triceratops, of the late Cretaceous Period, having a bony crest on the neck, a long horn over each eye, and a shorter horn on the nose.

triceratops

/ traɪˈsɛrəˌtɒps /

noun

1. any rhinoceros-like herbivorous dinosaur of the ornithischian genus Triceratops, of Cretaceous times, having a heavily armoured neck and three horns on the skull

triceratops

/ trī-sĕr′ə-tŏps′ /

1. A large herbivorous dinosaur of the genus Triceratops of the late Cretaceous Period, measuring up to 7.6 m (25 ft) in length. Triceratops had a squat, tanklike body, a beaklike mouth with a short horn over it, and a long horn over each eye. The back of its neck was covered with a wide, bony plate.

Word History and Origins

Origin of triceratops¹

First recorded in 1890–95; from New Latin, from Greek trikérat(os) “three-horned” + ṓps “face, eye”; tri-, cerat-, eye

Word History and Origins

Origin of triceratops¹

C19: from New Latin, from tri- + Greek kerat-, keras horn + ōps eye

Example Sentences

The Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, for instance, clamps its jaws around a Triceratops.

From Science News For Students

Instead of launching me into a downward existential spiral, the idea of being wrong about history, whether it be the symbolism of the pyramids or the color of triceratops, thrilled me.

From Vox

Triceratops and Allosaurus likely had fast- and slow-twitch muscles like people and other animals do.

From Popular-Science

We flew over there to begin filming and I remember seeing the triceratops and being absolutely blown away.

From The Daily Beast

I ponder the selection (pterodactyl, triceratops, etc) before settling on a T-Rex.

From The Daily Beast

But Triceratops had a three-horned face, one horn over each eye to protect it in battle and one over the nose.

From Project Gutenberg

Altogether, Triceratops is very different to any other Dinosaur.

From Project Gutenberg

We might have showed him the work of the mound-builders, or the bones of the Triceratops, they are older yet.

From Project Gutenberg

After that the Triceratops prorsus was at their mercy, and they quickly put an end to its suffering.

From Project Gutenberg

Triceratops exceeded the largest rhinoceroses in bulk, equalling a fairly large elephant, but with much shorter legs.

From Project Gutenberg