Rhinocerotes

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɹaɪˈnɒ.sə.ɹəʊts/

Definitions

1. A large, thick-skinned herbivorous mammal native to Africa and Asia, often characterized by one or two horns on its snout
2. A member of the family Rhinocerotidae, distinguished by its massive body and poor eyesight but keen sense of smell
3. A species known for its protective nature and vulnerability due to poaching and habitat loss

Etymology: The Latin "rhīnocerōtēs" comes from Greek "rhinokerōs," a compound of "rhis" (nose) and "keras" (horn), so the animal's name literally means "nose-horned." The Greek word itself is the key to the story, since the animal's most famous feature is written into its name. Roman writers borrowed the term, and it passed into English largely through Latin scholarly and natural-history writing. The word is a plural form in this entry, which is how the Latin ending "-tēs" survives. English speakers who use it in the plural often treat it as if the singular were "rhinoceros," but the form given here reflects the Latin plural ending being carried over directly. The singular "rhinoceros" is the form used for one animal, and the Greek compound it descends from has been the same since antiquity.