megathere

[meg-uh-theer]

noun

any of the huge, slothlike animals of the extinct genus Megatherium, or closely related genera, that lived from the Oligocene to the Pleistocene epochs.

Origin of megathere

1830–40; < New Latin Megatherium; see mega-, -there

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British Dictionary definitions for megathere

megathere

noun

any of various gigantic extinct American sloths of the genus Megatherium and related genera, common in late Cenozoic times

Derived Formsmegatherian, adjective

Word Origin for megathere

C19: from New Latin megathērium, from mega- + -there, from Greek thērion wild beast

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012