theropod

American  

[theer-uh-pod] / ˈθɪər əˌpɒd /

noun

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

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theropod British  

/ 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

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theropod Scientific  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• theropodan
  noun

Etymology

Origin of theropod

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

Example Sentences

They include a few isolated sauropod teeth, scattered bones likely from a sauropod, and two finds near Knysna: the theropod tooth discovered earlier and part of a tibia.

From Science Daily • Apr. 24, 2026

By analyzing data from T. rex remains as well as data from the theropod's closest living bird relatives, including emus and ostriches, Herculano-Houzel concluded that theropod brains had in excess of three billion neurons.

From Salon • May 4, 2024

It would be 10 years before the next dinosaur find was made - a bone from an Early Jurassic theropod in Heast.

From BBC • Feb. 9, 2024

The theropod tracks have three toes, while sauropod tracks tend to look bulbous, like those of elephants.

From Washington Times • Sep. 2, 2023

But no theropod fossils preserved wings, let alone feathers.

From New York Times • Jun. 3, 2023