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Glite Dictionary
pachycephalosaurus

pachycephalosaurus

9.9
A large plant-eating dinosaur with a thick domed skull that walked on two legs
  • noun
  • /ˌpækɪˌsɛfələˈsɔrəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : pachicefalosaurio
  • The pachycephalosaurus is famous for its extraordinary domed skull, which may have been used in head-butting contests.

Examples

  • The pachycephalosaurus was a fascinating dinosaur that thrived in the Late Cretaceous period and was known for its impressive dome-shaped skull.

  • Fossil evidence suggests the pachycephalosaurus ate mainly plants and lived in what is now North America.

  • We learned about the pachycephalosaurus in science class while studying Cretaceous dinosaurs.

  • The pachycephalosaurus roamed the Earth during the Late Cretaceous period.

  • Did you know that the pachycephalosaurus had a thick skull?

  • Fossils of the pachycephalosaurus indicate that it primarily fed on vegetation and inhabited regions that are now part of North America.

  • In our documentary, we featured the pachycephalosaurus, highlighting its unique head structure and its role in prehistoric ecosystems.

Synonyms

Pachycephalosaurus
vspachycephalosaurus
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A dinosaur that eats plants and has a thick, rounded skull

is used for a specific very large specimen noted as the biggest of its kind
pachycephalosaur
vspachycephalosaurus
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A large two-legged plant-eating dinosaur with a thick rounded skull used for head-butting

focuses on the exceptionally large specimen regarded as the largest of these
bone-headed dinosaur
vspachycephalosaurus
  • Specialized
9.2

A two-legged plant-eating dinosaur with a thick rounded skull

refers specifically to one very large member, not the broader group

Surface Forms

pachycephalosaurus singular
pachycephalosauruses plural
pachycephalosaurus plural
pachycephalosaur singular

Morphology

pachycephalosaurus = pachy + cephal + saurus

The term is built from Greek combining forms (pachy- 'thick', cephal(o)- 'head', -saurus 'lizard') that are not standalone English words, so an average B1 learner cannot reliably derive the meaning from familiar English base words.

Etymology

Pachycephalosaurus breaks into three parts: pachy meaning 'thick', cephalo meaning 'head', and saurus meaning 'lizard'. So it means 'thick-headed lizard', which fits this dinosaur because it had a very thick, domed skull that may have been used for head-butting.