theropod

[ theer-uh-pod ]

noun

1. any member of the suborder Theropoda, comprising carnivorous dinosaurs that had short forelimbs and walked or ran on their hind legs.

theropod

/ θɪˈrɒpədən; ˈθɪərəpɒd /

noun

1. any bipedal carnivorous saurischian dinosaur of the suborder Theropoda, having strong hind legs and grasping hands. They lived in Triassic to Cretaceous times and included tyrannosaurs and megalosaurs

theropod

/ thîr′ə-pŏd′ /

1. Any of various carnivorous saurischian dinosaurs of the group Theropoda. Theropods walked on two legs and had small forelimbs and a large skull with long jaws and sharp teeth. Most theropods were of small or medium size, but some grew very large, like Tyrannosaurus. Theropods lived throughout the Mesozoic Era.
2. Compare sauropod

Derived Forms

• theropodan, nounadjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of theropod¹

< New Latin Theropoda (1881) suborder name; -there, -o-, -poda

Word History and Origins

Origin of theropod¹

C19: from New Latin theropoda, from Greek thēr beast + pous foot

Example Sentences

It belonged to a distantly related group of less-well-known predatory theropods.

From Science News For Students

“Everyone has been in agreement that Spinosaurus was more aquatic than other big theropods” like Tyrannosaurus rex, Holtz says.

From Science News

These theropods — or two-footed, meat-eating dinosaurs — had bladelike teeth.

From Science News For Students

Scansoriopterygids were a branch of theropod dinosaurs, the same group that includes giants like Tyrannosaurus rex as well as the ancestors of birds.

From Science News