THEROPOD Definition & Meaning

theropod

[ theer-uh-pod ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

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

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

/ �ٳ�î��′ə-��ŏ��′ /

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.
Compare sauropod

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Derived Forms

theropodan, nounadjective

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of theropod¹

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

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of theropod¹

C19: from New Latin theropoda, from Greek �ٳ�ŧ�� beast + pous foot

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The scientists said the footprints suggested meat-eating theropods and plant-eating sauropods habitually spent time in lagoons.

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Therizinosaurs were a group of either herbivorous or omnivorous theropod dinosaurs that lived in Asia and North America during the Cretaceous Period, which began 145 million years ago and ended 66 million years ago.

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"Meat-eating dinosaurs -- properly called theropods -- are rare in the Cretaceous sediments of southern England," said Dr Chris Barker, visiting researcher at the University of Southampton and lead author of the research.

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These gave rise to the early dinosaurs such as small predatory theropods who fed on insects and fish.

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Previous research has found traits linked to warm-bloodedness among ornithischians and theropods, with some known to have had feathers or proto-feathers, insulating internal heat.

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