pachycephalosauridn.adj.
/ˌpakɪˌsɛf(ə)ləˈsɔːrɪd/, /ˌpakɪˌsɛfl̩əˈsɔːrɪd/, /ˌpakɪˌkɛf(ə)ləˈsɔːrɪd/, /ˌpakɪˌkɛfl̩əˈsɔːrɪd/, U.S. /ˈˌpækiˌsɛfələˈsɔrɪd/ Palaeontology.
A. n.
A bipedal herbivorous ornithischian dinosaur of the late Cretaceous genus Pachycephalosaurus or a related genus of the family Pachycephalosauridae (or infraorder Pachycephalosauria), characterized by a thickened, dome-like skull. Also called pachycephalosaur.
ΚΠ
1970 Discovery 6 24/2 One of the most enigmatic groups of dinosaurs, the pachycephalosaurids (domeheaded dinosaurs..) are ornithopods.
1985 D. Norman Illustr. Encycl. Dinosaurs 150/1 The thickening of the skull in ankylosaurids is created by the plastering of new bone on to the skull while in pachycephalosaurids it is the actual bones of the skull roof that become thicker.
2003 Canad. Business & Current Affairs (Nexis) Mar. v. 35 Studies of the dome's physical properties..have been used to suggest that pachycephalosaurids butted heads.
B. adj.
Of, relating to, or designating dinosaurs of the genus Pachycephalosaurus and related genera.
ΚΠ
1979 Nature 14 June 633/2 (title) A pachycephalosaurid dinosaur from Madagascar and a Laurasia–Gondwanaland connection in the Cretaceous.
1990 M. B. Goodwin in K. Carpenter & P. J. Currie Dinosaur Systematics (1992) xiv. 189 A large sample of pachycephalosaurid cranial material was described from the Upper Cretaceous.
2002 U.S. News & World Rep. (Nexis) 1 July 45 Chapman..thinks Goodwin needs to scrutinize skulls of more pachycephalosaurid species to rule out weaponry.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, March 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.adj.1970