triceratops

Everyday

A large plant-eating dinosaur with three horns on its face and a big bony frill around the back of its head. tree →

In the lessons

In science and history lessons on dinosaurs, triceratops is one of the most famous. Its name means «three-horned face». It lived at the end of the age of dinosaurs in North America and may have used its horns and frill for defence and display. In maths: one triceratops has 3 horns, so 4 have 12. Phrases: «a triceratops skeleton», «three-horned».

Examples

• A triceratops had three horns on its face. tree →
• The triceratops ate plants, not meat. tree →
• We saw a triceratops skeleton at the museum. tree →
• Triceratops may have used its frill to scare enemies. tree →
• Triceratops means «three-horned face». tree →
• Five triceratops have fifteen horns altogether. tree →
• My little brother's favourite dinosaur is triceratops. tree →

Note

Pronounced «try-SERR-a-tops». Plural is often the same: «two triceratops». It is usually not written with a capital in ordinary text, but the scientific name is «Triceratops». Myth trap: triceratops and T. rex lived at the same time, but humans never lived with dinosaurs.