theropod

[ theer-uh-pod ]

noun

1. any member of the suborder Theropoda, comprising carnivorous dinosaurs that had short forelimbs and walked or ran on their hind legs.

theropod

/ θɪˈrɒpədən; ˈθɪərəpɒd /

noun

1. any bipedal carnivorous saurischian dinosaur of the suborder Theropoda, having strong hind legs and grasping hands. They lived in Triassic to Cretaceous times and included tyrannosaurs and megalosaurs

theropod

/ thîr′ə-pŏd′ /

1. Any of various carnivorous saurischian dinosaurs of the group Theropoda. Theropods walked on two legs and had small forelimbs and a large skull with long jaws and sharp teeth. Most theropods were of small or medium size, but some grew very large, like Tyrannosaurus. Theropods lived throughout the Mesozoic Era.
2. Compare sauropod

Derived Forms

• theropodan, nounadjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of theropod¹

< New Latin Theropoda (1881) suborder name; -there, -o-, -poda

Word History and Origins

Origin of theropod¹

C19: from New Latin theropoda, from Greek thēr beast + pous foot

Example Sentences

Previous research has found traits linked to warm-bloodedness among ornithischians and theropods, with some known to have had feathers or proto-feathers, insulating internal heat.

From Science Daily

By analyzing data from T. rex remains as well as data from the theropod's closest living bird relatives, including emus and ostriches, Herculano-Houzel concluded that theropod brains had in excess of three billion neurons.

From Salon

Traditional methods alone did not find this elusive little theropod amongst the tooth sample.

From Science Daily

It would be 10 years before the next dinosaur find was made - a bone from an Early Jurassic theropod in Heast.

From BBC

Meat-eating dinosaurs all were members of a group called theropods.

From Reuters