eohippus

[ee-oh-hip-uhs]

noun

1. the earliest known horse, a member of the extinct genus Hyracotherium (Eohippus ), from the early Eocene Epoch of the Northern Hemisphere; a terrier-sized herbivore having four hoofed toes on each forefoot and three on each hind foot, and low-crowned teeth.

eohippus

/ ˌiːəʊˈhɪpəs /

noun

1. the earliest horse: an extinct Eocene dog-sized animal of the genus with four-toed forelegs, three-toed hindlegs, and teeth specialized for browsing

eohippus

1. See hyracotherium

Word History and Origins

Origin of eohippus¹

1875–80; < New Latin, equivalent to eo- eo- + Greek híppos horse

Word History and Origins

Origin of eohippus¹

C19: New Latin, from _eo- + Greek hippos horse

Example Sentences

He opened his lips twice or thrice, and spoke, after several futile attempts, in a voice mild, but clearly earnest: “Oh, you little eohippus!”

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Her lips just brushed him—the lucky little eohippus.

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His slow drawl was getting slower; his cowboyese broader—a mode of speech quite inconsistent with that first sprightly remark about the little eohippus.

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“And how about the little eohippus?” she demanded.

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I had a jeweler-man put five toes on his feet once to make him be a little eohippus.

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