anchitherian
|an-chi-the-ri-an|
/ˌæŋkɪˈθɪəriən/
relating to Anchitherium / early three‑toed horse
Etymology
'anchitherian' originates from New Latin, specifically the genus name 'Anchitherium', where the Greek elements 'ankhi-' meant 'near' and 'therion' meant 'beast'.
'anchitherian' was formed from the New Latin genus name 'Anchitherium' (used in scientific taxonomy) and then adopted into English as the noun/adjective 'anchitherian' to denote members or attributes of that genus or family.
Initially the Greek components conveyed the literal sense 'near beast', but in scientific usage the term evolved to refer specifically to the fossil genus Anchitherium and related early three‑toed horses.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a member of the extinct family Anchitheriidae (or of the genus Anchitherium); an early, three‑toed horse known from Miocene deposits.
Paleontologists described several anchitherian specimens from the Miocene strata.
Synonyms
Adjective 1
relating to or characteristic of the genus Anchitherium or the anchitheriids (their anatomy, fossils, or ecology).
The anchitherian dentition suggests a browsing diet.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/23 10:21