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Definition of carnotaurus

carnotaurus

/ˌkɑːrnoʊˈtɔːrəs/
car · no · tau · rus
Plural:carnotauruses
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carnotaurus Lexical Profile

• noun

1

A genus of large, bipedal theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period, native to what is now South America, distinguished by thick, bull-like horns above its eyes and exceptionally short forelimbs.

• Rhymes for carnotaurus

• Nearby Words

carnation
carnifex
carnitas
carnotaurus
carnyx
carob
carolina wren

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in 1985 by Argentine paleontologist José Bonaparte. Derived from Latin 'carno' (flesh) and 'taurus' (bull), translating roughly to 'meat-eating bull' in reference to its carnivorous diet and distinct cranial horns.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Carnotaurus. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/carnotaurus
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