ceratopsian
noun
cer·a·top·sian
ˌser-ə-ˈtäp-sē-ən 
: any of a suborder (Ceratopsia) of ornithischian dinosaurs of the Late Cretaceous having horns, a sharp horny beak, and a bony frill projecting backward from the skull
ceratopsian
adjective
Examples of ceratopsian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite its fierce appearance, this famous ceratopsian, or horned dinosaur, was an herbivore.
—
Amy McKeever, National Geographic, 14 Sep. 2020
Dino Hunters With winter looming, Clayton and Luke race to excavate two massive triceratops skulls, while the Harris-Bolan crew searches for a missing femur from their rare ceratopsian.
—Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2021
The dinosaur belonged to the ceratopsians, which were plant-eaters that included the iconic Triceratops.
—Fox News, 1 May 2020
A few months later, amateur paleontologist Clayton Phipps discovered a 22-foot-long carnivorous theropod and a 28-foot-long plant-eating ceratopsian believed to have died 66 million years ago.
—Amy Beth Hanson, SFChronicle.com, 9 Nov. 2019
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Amy McKeever, National Geographic, 14 Sep. 2020
Dino Hunters With winter looming, Clayton and Luke race to excavate two massive triceratops skulls, while the Harris-Bolan crew searches for a missing femur from their rare ceratopsian.
—Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2021
The dinosaur belonged to the ceratopsians, which were plant-eaters that included the iconic Triceratops.
—Fox News, 1 May 2020
A few months later, amateur paleontologist Clayton Phipps discovered a 22-foot-long carnivorous theropod and a 28-foot-long plant-eating ceratopsian believed to have died 66 million years ago.
—Amy Beth Hanson, SFChronicle.com, 9 Nov. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Ceratopsian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ceratopsian. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
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