plural rhinoceroses also rhinoceros or rhinocerirī-ˈnä-sə-ˌrī
rə-
: any of a family (Rhinocerotidae) of large heavyset herbivorous perissodactyl mammals of Africa and Asia that have one or two upright keratinous horns on the snout and thick gray to brown skin with little hair
Illustration of rhinoceros
Examples of rhinoceros in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebIn Houston and at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, the mayor said she was mesmerized by interactive rhinoceros habitats where visitors can feed and touch rhinos.—Joe Rubin, Sacramento Bee, 8 May 2024 With the new arrival, the number of rhinoceroses at the zoo rose to five, including male Spike and females Mambo and Gloria.—The Indianapolis Star, 9 Apr. 2024 The calf, who has yet to be named, was born to a 19-year-old rhinoceros named Zenzele on Sunday at 9:13 a.m.—Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 12 Feb. 2024 The rhinoceros calf, born on Christmas Eve, will be named through a Sweet 16 bracket, the zoo said.—Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for rhinoceros
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Word History
Etymology
Middle English rinoceros, from Anglo-French, from Latin rhinocerot-, rhinoceros, from Greek rhinokerōt-, rhinokerōs, from rhin- + keras horn — more at horn
: any of various large plant-eating mammals of Africa and Asia that are related to the horse and have a thick skin with little hair, three toes on each foot, and one or two heavy upright horns on the snout
Etymology
Middle English rinoceros "rhinoceros," from Latin rhinocerot-, rhinoceros (same meaning), from Greek rhinokerōt-, rhinokerōs, literally "nose-horned," from rhin-, rhis "nose" and keras "horn"
Word Origin
One of the largest animals found on land today is the thick-skinned rhinoceros. Another of the animal's characteristics, besides large size, is found on its snout. All rhinoceroses have at least one horn, and some have two horns. The English name for this animal with a horn or horns on its snout was borrowed from Latin rhinoceros. The Latin name, in turn, came from the Greek word rhinokerōs, which literally means "nose-horned." This word is made up of the Greek word rhin-, rhis, meaning "nose" and the word keras, meaning "horn."
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