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Glite Dictionary
Protohippus

Protohippus

9.9
An extinct horse with three toes related to modern horses that lived long ago
  • noun
  • /ˌproʊtəˈhɪpəs/
  • Specialized
: Protohippus
  • Researchers believe Protohippus was an important step in horse evolution.

Examples

  • The Protohippus lived during the late Miocene.

  • The teeth of Protohippus suggest it was adapted to grazing on grasses.

  • Fossils of Protohippus have been discovered across North America.

  • Many fossils of Protohippus have been discovered in North America.

  • Fossils of Protohippus have been discovered across North America.

  • Researchers believe Protohippus was an important step in horse evolution.

  • The teeth of Protohippus suggest it was adapted to grazing on grasses.

Surface Forms

Protohippus singular
Protohippi plural

Morphology

Protohippus = hippus (opaque) = proto + hippus

The name is historically built from proto- 'first' plus a Greek word for 'horse', but the base is not a transparent modern English word for most learners.

Etymology

The word Protohippus is made of Greek parts proto- meaning 'first' and hippos meaning 'horse', the same 'hippo' you see in hippopotamus. So Protohippus means an early or 'first horse', which suits this extinct three-toed horse.