Illustration of rhinoceros
rhinoceros
noun
rhi·noc·er·os
rī-ˈnäs-rəs 
rə-,
-ˈnä-sə-
plural rhinoceroses also rhinoceros or rhinoceri
rī-ˈnä-sə-ˌrī
rə-
: any of a family (Rhinocerotidae) of large heavyset herbivorous perissodactyl mammals of Africa and Asia that have one or two upright keratinous horns on the snout and thick gray to brown skin with little hair
Examples of rhinoceros in a Sentence
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Visitors to the Science Museum will be able to see the menagerie’s most famous resident: Louis XV’s rhinoceros, given to the king by a French governor based in India and later dissected and taxidermied upon its death.
—
Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Jan. 2025
Dürer's print was inspired by an Indian Sultan’s unusual gift to King Manuel of Portugal of a rhinoceros, the first to arrive in Europe since Roman times.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
Chutti the rhinoceros made a pick for the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl winner in the match between the Boise State Broncos and the Penn State Nittany Lions.
—Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 1 Jan. 2025
Talukdar’s work to curb poaching and guide rhinoceros conservation research has been featured in more than 80 publications.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 17 Sep. 2024
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Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Jan. 2025
Dürer's print was inspired by an Indian Sultan’s unusual gift to King Manuel of Portugal of a rhinoceros, the first to arrive in Europe since Roman times.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
Chutti the rhinoceros made a pick for the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl winner in the match between the Boise State Broncos and the Penn State Nittany Lions.
—Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 1 Jan. 2025
Talukdar’s work to curb poaching and guide rhinoceros conservation research has been featured in more than 80 publications.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rhinoceros
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Cite this Entry
“Rhinoceros.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhinoceros. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rhinoceros
noun
rhi·noc·er·os
rī-ˈnäs-(ə-)rəs
plural rhinoceroses also rhinoceros
: any of various large plant-eating mammals of Africa and Asia that are related to the horse and have a thick skin with little hair, three toes on each foot, and one or two heavy upright horns on the snout
Etymology
Middle English rinoceros "rhinoceros," from Latin rhinocerot-, rhinoceros (same meaning), from Greek rhinokerōt-, rhinokerōs, literally "nose-horned," from rhin-, rhis "nose" and keras "horn"
Word Origin
One of the largest animals found on land today is the thick-skinned rhinoceros. Another of the animal's characteristics, besides large size, is found on its snout. All rhinoceroses have at least one horn, and some have two horns. The English name for this animal with a horn or horns on its snout was borrowed from Latin rhinoceros. The Latin name, in turn, came from the Greek word rhinokerōs, which literally means "nose-horned." This word is made up of the Greek word rhin-, rhis, meaning "nose" and the word keras, meaning "horn."
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