ornithischian

Dictionary: or·nith·is·chi·an

(ôr'nə-thĭs'kē-ən) pronunciation

n.
A dinosaur of the order Ornithischia, having a pelvic structure similar to that of birds.

adj.
Of, belonging to, or characteristic of the order Ornithischia.

[From New Latin Ornīthischia, order name : ORNITH(O)- + Greek iskhion, hip joint.]

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Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: ornithischian

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Any of the "bird-hipped" dinosaur species (order Ornithischia), herbivores with hip bones arranged like those of modern birds, with the pubis bone pointed backward. Many species had a toothless, horny beak and powerful cheek teeth. Ornithischians flourished from the Late Triassic to the Late Cretaceous Epoch (227 – 65 million years ago). Many species (in the suborder Cerapoda) were bipedal and had ornate skull structures. Some were quadrupedal, with a massive head culminating in a great bony frill. Other quadrupeds (in the suborder Thyreophora) had small heads and were heavily plated and armoured along the back, and some had armour on the flanks and head as well. See also protoceratops; saurischian; stegosaur; triceratops.

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WordNet: ornithischian

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Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: herbivorous dinosaur with a pelvis like that of a bird
Synonym: ornithischian dinosaur

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	Pachycephalosauridae (paleontology)
	ornithopod
	ceratopsian

Is a deinonychus a saurischian or a a ornithischian? Read answer...

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	Ornithischian quadrupedal dinosaur of the jurassic and early cretaceous periods?
	Ornithischian quadrupedal dinosaur of the jurassic and early cretaceous periods?

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		Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more
		Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more
		WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. Read more