archaeotherium
|ar-chae-o-the-ri-um|
🇺🇸
/ˌɑrkiəˈθɪriəm/
🇬🇧
/ˌɑːkiəˈθɪəriəm/
ancient beast
Etymology
'archaeotherium' originates from New Latin, formed from Greek elements: 'arkhaios' meaning 'ancient' and 'thērion' meaning 'beast'.
'archaeotherium' was coined in scientific (New Latin) taxonomy by combining the Greek words 'arkhaios' and 'thērion' and was adopted into English scientific usage without major change.
Initially a compound meaning 'ancient beast' used to name the genus; the term has remained a taxonomic name referring to that extinct genus.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an extinct genus of entelodont (an early, pig-like artiodactyl) mammals known from fossil remains found in North America.
Fossils of archaeotherium have helped paleontologists learn about entelodont anatomy and behavior.
Last updated: 2025/10/04 09:18