ornithopod

[ awr-nuh-thuh-pod, awr-nahy-thuh- ]

noun

1. any herbivorous dinosaur of the suborder Ornithopoda whose members usually walked erect on their hind legs.

ornithopod

/ ˈɔːnɪθəˌpɒd /

noun

1. any herbivorous typically bipedal ornithischian dinosaur of the suborder Ornithopoda, including the iguanodon

ornithopod

/ ôr-nĭth′ə-pŏd′ /

1. One of the main types of ornithischian dinosaurs, including the hadrosaurs. Ornithopods walked on their hind legs and had three blunt toes on each foot. They lived from the late Triassic Period until the end of the Cretaceous Period.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ornithopod¹

First recorded in 1885–90, ornithopod is from the New Latin word Ornithopoda (plural). See ornitho-, -pod

Example Sentences

The scientists had set out to see if neutrons—the building blocks of atomic nuclei, along with protons—could offer better images of fossils than x-rays and made the startling discovery that a croc in the Cretaceous period had eaten a previously unknown species of juvenile ornithopod dinosaur before it died.

From Scientific American

Moreover, a University of Oregon spokesperson told Fox 12 in 2018 that its first ornithopod fossil was an interesting find since the U.S. state was believed to be underwater for most of the dinosaur age.

From Fox News

Both fossils are estimated to be around the same age and come from an ornithopod – a plant-eating dinosaur species that were bipedal and lived in North America, according to Britannica.

From Fox News

The latest ornithopod fossil is said to have been dug up by a family member of Carr’s, who stopped by to visit the site and was tasked with moving loose dirt, The Time-Journal reports.

From Fox News

It was approximately 4-feet long and had "very powerful hind legs" to go with a long tail, which suggests the ancient ornithopod was a strong and fast runner and walked upright, similar to iguanodons.

From Fox News