[theer-uh-pod] 
| any member of the suborder Theropoda, comprising carnivorous dinosaurs that had short forelimbs and walked or ran on their hind legs. |
| the·ro·pod (thîr'ə-pŏd') n. Any of various large carnivorous saurischian dinosaurs of the suborder Theropoda of the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, characterized by bipedal locomotion, large jaws, and short forelimbs. [From New Latin Thēropoda, suborder name : Greek thēr, wild beast; see ghwer- in Indo-European roots + New Latin -poda, -pod.] the·rop'o·dan (thĭ-rŏp'ə-dən) adj. & n. |
| theropod (thîr'ə-pŏd') Pronunciation Key
Any of various carnivorous saurischian dinosaurs of the group Theropoda. Theropods walked on two legs and had small forelimbs and a large skull with long jaws and sharp teeth. Most theropods were of small or medium size, but some grew very large, like Tyrannosaurus. Theropods lived throughout the Mesozoic Era. Compare sauropod. |
əˌpɒd