any bipedal carnivorous saurischian dinosaur of the suborder Theropoda, having strong hind legs and grasping hands. They lived in Triassic to Cretaceous times and included tyrannosaurs and megalosaurs
Derived forms
theropodan (θɪˈrɒpədən)
noun, adjective
Word origin
C19: from New Latin theropoda, from Greek thēr beast + pous foot
theropod in American English
(ˈθɪrəˌpɑd)
noun
any of a suborder (Theropoda) of flesh-eating saurischian dinosaurs that walked mainlyon the hind legs
Word origin
< ModL Theropoda < Gr thēr, a wild beast (see fierce) + -poda