triceratops

American  

[trahy-ser-uh-tops] / traɪˈsɛr əˌtɒps /

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.

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triceratops British  

/ 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

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triceratops Scientific  

/ 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.

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Etymology

Origin of triceratops

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

Explanation

The triceratops was a three-horned dinosaur that lived on the Earth about 68 million years ago. If you're a budding paleontologist, you might want to visit the Museum of Natural History in New York City to see a fossilized triceratops skeleton. The triceratops is one of the most easily recognized dinosaurs—it looked a little bit like a rhinoceros. Archaeologists have found many triceratops bones over the years, starting as early as 1889, including complete skeletons, which is why we know a lot about how this dinosaur lived. Triceratops was an herbivore that was probably preyed on by tyrannosaurus. Its three horns may have been used for self-defense, or for courtship and displaying dominance among other triceratops.

Example Sentences

“Another hadrosaur toe, another triceratops vertebra. Other than statistical appearance in the formation, there’s zero scientific value.”

From New York Times • Jul. 17, 2023

County Natural History Museum, to make sure: The Gold State Coach, 29 feet long, 12 feet high, weighing four tons, is approximately like having a gilded triceratops mounted on wheels and rolled down London streets.

From Los Angeles Times • May 3, 2023

That’s right — this is an Ice Age fossil site, and experts haven’t uncovered any remains of T. rexes, triceratops or other non-avian dinosaurs.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 22, 2022

About 74 million years ago, the now-arid landscape of northwestern New Mexico was covered with jungles and marshes that bordered a warm sea — and roamed by a massive horned dinosaur related to triceratops.

From Washington Post • Sep. 3, 2022

Had dinosaurs been known, he would almost certainly have asked them to bring him home a triceratops.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson