Illustration of rhinoceros
rhinoceros
noun
rhi·noc·er·os
rī-ˈnäs-rəs 
rə-,
-ˈnä-sə-
plural rhinoceroses also rhinoceros or rhinoceri
rī-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
Examples of rhinoceros in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
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
Chinese rhinoceros horn cups Antiques Roadshow saw one if its most valuable lots in Tulsa in 2011.
—Madeline Boardman, EW.com, 22 Feb. 2024
In a first, scientists have achieved a rhinoceros pregnancy through in vitro fertilization (IVF)—an innovative technique that could be the key to saving the northern white rhino.
—Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Jan. 2024
In the wild, rhinoceros populations are threatened by habitat loss and poaching.
—The Indianapolis Star, 10 Jan. 2024
Mouse cells oscillated more quickly than rhinoceros cells, but human cells oscillated more slowly than the rhino cells, and marmoset cells had the slowest oscillations of all.
—Quanta Magazine, 18 Sep. 2023
Irish whiskey is known for its friendly mildness, so to pair it with a charging rhinoceros like Green Chartreuse gives the cocktail a shove into a realm of intensity that Irish whiskey drinks rarely occupy.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 16 Mar. 2024
Along with feeding the lion, Travis was seen petting a kangaroo munching on some leaves and a rhinoceros relaxing in an enclosure.
—Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 24 Feb. 2024
Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti, Tanzania The Four Seasons resides inside the famous Serengeti National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the Big Five (lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants and rhinoceroses) roam.
—Jennifer Kester, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024
Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2024
Chinese rhinoceros horn cups Antiques Roadshow saw one if its most valuable lots in Tulsa in 2011.
—Madeline Boardman, EW.com, 22 Feb. 2024
In a first, scientists have achieved a rhinoceros pregnancy through in vitro fertilization (IVF)—an innovative technique that could be the key to saving the northern white rhino.
—Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Jan. 2024
In the wild, rhinoceros populations are threatened by habitat loss and poaching.
—The Indianapolis Star, 10 Jan. 2024
Mouse cells oscillated more quickly than rhinoceros cells, but human cells oscillated more slowly than the rhino cells, and marmoset cells had the slowest oscillations of all.
—Quanta Magazine, 18 Sep. 2023
Irish whiskey is known for its friendly mildness, so to pair it with a charging rhinoceros like Green Chartreuse gives the cocktail a shove into a realm of intensity that Irish whiskey drinks rarely occupy.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 16 Mar. 2024
Along with feeding the lion, Travis was seen petting a kangaroo munching on some leaves and a rhinoceros relaxing in an enclosure.
—Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 24 Feb. 2024
Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti, Tanzania The Four Seasons resides inside the famous Serengeti National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the Big Five (lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants and rhinoceroses) roam.
—Jennifer Kester, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rhinoceros.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Rhinoceros.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhinoceros. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
rhinoceros
noun
rhi·noc·er·os
rī-ˈnäs-(ə-)rəs
plural rhinoceroses also rhinoceros
: 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."
More from Merriam-Webster on rhinoceros
Nglish: Translation of rhinoceros for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rhinoceros
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