theropod

the·ro·pod  (thîr-pd)

n.

Any of various large carnivorous saurischian dinosaurs of the suborder Theropoda of the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, characterized by bipedal locomotion, large jaws, and short forelimbs.

---

[From New Latin Thropoda, suborder name : Greek thr, wild beast; see ghwer- in Indo-European roots + New Latin -poda, -pod.]

---

the·ropo·dan (th-rp-dn) adj. & n.

---

theropod  (thîr-pd)

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. Compare sauropod.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

theropod - any of numerous carnivorous dinosaurs of the Triassic to Cretaceous with short forelimbs that walked or ran on strong hind legs bird-footed dinosaur, theropod dinosaur saurischian, saurischian dinosaur - herbivorous or carnivorous dinosaur having a three-pronged pelvis like that of a crocodile suborder Theropoda, Theropoda - carnivorous saurischian dinosaurs with short forelimbs; Jurassic and Cretaceous ceratosaur, ceratosaurus - primitive medium-sized theropod; swift-running bipedal carnivorous dinosaur having grasping hands with sharp claws and a short horn between the nostrils; Jurassic in North America carnosaur - large carnivorous bipedal dinosaur having huge claws tyrannosaur, tyrannosaurus, Tyrannosaurus rex - large carnivorous bipedal dinosaur having enormous teeth with knifelike serrations; may have been a scavenger rather than an active predator; later Cretaceous period in North America allosaur, allosaurus - late Jurassic carnivorous dinosaur; similar to but somewhat smaller than tyrannosaurus compsognathus - very small bipedal carnivorous dinosaur of the late Jurassic in Bavaria herrerasaur, herrerasaurus - a kind of theropod dinosaur found in Argentina eoraptor - a theropod dinosaur of the genus Eoraptor megalosaur, megalosaurus - gigantic carnivorous bipedal dinosaur of the Jurassic or early Cretaceous in Europe ornithomimid - lightly built medium-sized dinosaur having extremely long limbs and necks with small heads and big brains and large eyes maniraptor - advanced carnivorous theropod