ceratopsian

noun cer·a·top·sian \ ˌsər-ə-ˈtäp-sē-ən \

Updated on: 7 Apr 2018

Definition of ceratopsian

: 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

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ceratopsian

adjective

Recent Examples of ceratopsian from the Web

But in ceratopsians, both sexes grew the elaborate facial coat racks, suggesting something unique happened within the group of dinosaurs.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Dinosaur Horns Were For Making Love, Not War," 23 Mar. 2018
The team studied the patterns of ornamental horns and frills in 46 species of horned dinosaurs (ceratopsians), including the triceratops.

— katherine hignett, Newsweek, "Horny Triceratops: Dinosaurs Developed Frills and Horns to Woo A Mate," 21 Mar. 2018
The findings are the latest in a long-running controversy over why ceratopsians—the dinosaur group containing Triceratops—lugged around massive, bony frills on their heads.

— michael greshko, National Geographic, "Horned Dinosaurs May Have Used Their Frills to Flirt," 21 Jan. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ceratopsian.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.