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rhinoceros

(rī näs′ər əs)

any of a family (Rhinocerotidae) of large, heavy, thick-skinned, plant-eating, perissodactylous mammals of tropical Africa and Asia, with one or two upright horns on the snout

Origin: ME rinoceros < L rhinoceros < Gr rhinokerōs, lit., nose-horned < rhis (see rhino-) + keras, horn

Related Forms:

rhinocerotic adjective

See rhinoceros in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. rhinoceros rhinoceros or rhi·noc·er·os·es

Any of several large, thick-skinned, herbivorous mammals of the family Rhinocerotidae, of Africa and Asia, having one or two upright horns on the snout.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English rinoceros

Origin: , from Latin rhīnocerōs

Origin: , from Greek rhīnokerōs

Origin: : rhīno-, rhino-

Origin: + keras, horn; see ker-¹ in Indo-European roots

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