horned dinosaur
- noun
- /hɔrn dɪˈnæsər/
:
dinosaurio cornudo
- The horned dinosaur roamed the earth during the late Cretaceous period, grazing on plants.
Examples
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Subsequently, new taxa of horned dinosaurs from Asia were mainly described based on skulls, while their postcranial skeletons, even when considered, were only characterized by general features.
Academic text (2018) -
Experts believe that the diverse features of horned dinosaurs helped them adapt to their environment.
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Among the most fascinating fossils found are those of horned dinosaurs with elaborate skull designs.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A four-legged plant-eating dinosaur with a large beak, horns, and a bony frill on the head
A group of plant-eating dinosaurs with large bony frills and horns on their faces, like Triceratops
Large plant-eating dinosaurs with horns and bony frills, like Triceratops
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a dinosaur with horns' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'horned' (having horns) with 'dinosaur' (an extinct reptile); this adjective+noun composition follows a basic, literal compositional pattern. A B1 learner who knows both constituent words would readily infer the intended referent, and similar constructions exist across many languages.
Etymology
Horned dinosaur refers to plant-eating dinosaurs with big, sharp horns and a beak-like mouth. Imagine a huge animal with horns on its head and a bony frill at the back of the skull; those features helped it fight or protect itself, so people called them 'horned' dinosaurs.