plural rhinoceroses also rhinoceros or rhinocerirī-ˈnä-sə-ˌrī
rə-
: any of a family (Rhinocerotidae) of large heavyset herbivorous perissodactyl mammals of Africa and Asia that have one or two upright keratinous horns on the snout and thick gray to brown skin with little hair
Illustration of rhinoceros
Examples of rhinoceros in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebThere was also a range of smaller and larger species, including a woolly rhinoceros, flying squirrels, and porcupines.—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 3 July 2024 Some specific morphological and ecological features of the fossil woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis Blumenbach 1799)
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.—Conor Feehly, Discover Magazine, 26 June 2024 By the end of the first century, Eastern herbs, spices, clothing and even animals would have changed ordinary people’s lives, from the tigers, rhinoceroses and wild boars brought for gladiatorial shows to frankincense and myrrh widely used as perfumes, as medicines and in religious rituals.—Jo Marchant, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2024 The park runs car safaris in the over 17-acre (7 hectares) area, according to the zoo's website, where Arctic wolves as well as bears, zebras, giraffes, rhinoceroses and other animals are allowed to roam free.—Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 24 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for rhinoceros
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Word History
Etymology
Middle English rinoceros, from Anglo-French, from Latin rhinocerot-, rhinoceros, from Greek rhinokerōt-, rhinokerōs, from rhin- + keras horn — more at horn
: any of various large plant-eating mammals of Africa and Asia that are related to the horse and have a thick skin with little hair, three toes on each foot, and one or two heavy upright horns on the snout
Etymology
Middle English rinoceros "rhinoceros," from Latin rhinocerot-, rhinoceros (same meaning), from Greek rhinokerōt-, rhinokerōs, literally "nose-horned," from rhin-, rhis "nose" and keras "horn"
Word Origin
One of the largest animals found on land today is the thick-skinned rhinoceros. Another of the animal's characteristics, besides large size, is found on its snout. All rhinoceroses have at least one horn, and some have two horns. The English name for this animal with a horn or horns on its snout was borrowed from Latin rhinoceros. The Latin name, in turn, came from the Greek word rhinokerōs, which literally means "nose-horned." This word is made up of the Greek word rhin-, rhis, meaning "nose" and the word keras, meaning "horn."
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