rhinoceros

noun

rhi·​noc·​er·​os rī-ˈnäs-rəs How to pronounce rhinoceros (audio)
rə-,
-ˈnä-sə-
plural rhinoceroses also rhinoceros or rhinoceri rī-ˈnä-sə-ˌrī How to pronounce rhinoceros (audio)
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

Illustration of rhinoceros

Illustration of rhinoceros

Examples of rhinoceros in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The cubs were eating solid food already, including a small bird called a wagtail and a woolly rhinoceros—probably a younger rhino brought down by adults in the pack. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 June 2025 Though a woolly rhinoceros would be rather large prey for wolves to hunt, the piece of woolly rhino skin in one pup’s stomach is proof of the canids’ diet. Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 14 June 2025 Published today in Quaternary Research, the analysis also shows that the two puppies were siblings — sisters around two months old — and ate a diet of milk, meat, and plants, with woolly rhinoceros as their final feast. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 11 June 2025 Surprisingly, the stomach contents included a meal that included woolly rhinoceros. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for rhinoceros

Word History

Etymology

Middle English rinoceros, from Anglo-French, from Latin rhinocerot-, rhinoceros, from Greek rhinokerōt-, rhinokerōs, from rhin- + keras horn — more at horn

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rhinoceros was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rhinoceros.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhinoceros. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

rhinoceros

noun
rhi·​noc·​er·​os rī-ˈnäs-(ə-)rəs How to pronounce rhinoceros (audio)
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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