What's In A Name

One great thing about dinosaur names is that they all have a meaning.  Dinosaur names are composed of several root words.  If you understand the root words, you can understand the dinosaur's name.

Since my son became interested in dinosaur names, I began to teach him the root words through a name game.  I wanted to show him that he could figure out the dinosaur names logically, rather than just by memorization.  This was a great teaching opportunity because it got him thinking about words in general and how they could be deconstructed.

Here's an example of the name game we would play:

Question: What does "Dinosaur" mean?
Answer: "Dino" (or "Deino") means "Terrible".  "Saur" means "Lizard".  So "Dinosaur" means "Terrible Lizard".

Question: "Onychus" means "claw".  What does "Deinonychus" mean?
Answer: "Deino" means "terrible".  "Onychus" means "claw".  So "Deinonychus" means "Terrible Claw".

Question: "Pachy" means "thick".  "Rhino" means nose.  What does "Pachyrhinosaurus" mean?
Answer: "Pachy" means "thick".  "Rhino" means nose.  "Saurus" means "lizard".  So "Pachyrhinosaurus" means "Thick Nosed Lizard".

Question: "Euoplo" means "Well armored".  "Cephalus" means "Head".  What does "Euoplocephalus" mean?
Answer: "Well Armored Head"

Question: What does "Pachycephalosaurus" mean?
Answer:  "Pachy" mean "thick".  "Cephalo" means "head". "Saurus" means "lizard".  So "Pachycephalosaurus" means "Thick Headed Lizard".

Question: "Nothro" means "Slothful".  What does "Nothronychus" mean?
Answer: "Nothro" means "Slothful".  "Onychus" means "claw".  So "Nothronychus" means "Slothful Claw".

Question: "Ceras" means "horn". What does "Ceratosaurus" mean?
Answer:  "Cerato" means "horn".  "Saurus" means "lizard".  So "Ceratosaurus" means "Horned Lizard".

Question: "Tri" means "three".  "Ops" mean "face".  What does "Triceratops" mean?
Answer: "Tri" means "three".  "Cerat" means "horn".  "Ops" mean "face".  So "Triceratops" means "Three Horned Face"

Question: "Proto" mean first.  What does "Protoceratops" mean?
Answer: "Proto" means "first".  "Cerat" means "horn".  "Ops" means "face".  So "Protocertops" means "First Horned Face".

Etc ...

I've been doing these name games with my son for over a year now.  It's still challenging for him but he really enjoys it.  After we started playing this name game, it finally occurred to me why a rhinoceros is called a "Rhinoceros".  "Rhino" means nose.  "Ceros" means horn.  "Rhinoceros" = "Nose Horn".