n. A large ceratopsian dinosaur of the genus Triceratops of the Cretaceous Period, having a large bony frill at the back of the skull, a pair of horns above the eyes, and a single horn on the nose. [New Latin Tricerātōps, genus name : Greek tri-, tri- + Greek keras, kerāt-, horn; see ker-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + Greek ōps, eye, face; see okw- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.