Gomphotherium

noun

Gom·​pho·​the·​ri·​um

ˌgäm(p)fōˈthirēəm

: a large genus (the type of the family Gomphotheriidae) of extinct elephants widely distributed in the Miocene and Pliocene and distinguished by a greatly elongated lower jaw bearing broad flat terminal tusks shaped like shovels

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek gomphos + New Latin -therium

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