ENGLISH
REFERENCE

rhinoceros

n.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ɹaɪˈnɑsɝəs// UK //ɹaɪnˈɒsəɹəs// rhi·noc·er·os

n. a large, strong animal with a thick skin and one or two horns on its nose. It lives in Africa and parts of Asia.

n. a large, herbivorous mammal of the family Rhinocerotidae, characterised by one or two horns on the snout and thick, tough skin.


SIMPLE

The rhinoceros is a powerful animal with thick skin.

CONTEXTUAL

Conservationists are working hard to protect the rhinoceros from poachers who hunt them for their horns.

COMPLEX

The rhinoceros, often referred to as the 'unicorn of the grasslands', is a keystone species whose presence significantly influences the structure of its ecosystem.

Synonyms
Origin

From Latin rhīnocerōs, from Ancient Greek ῥῑνόκερως (rhīnókerōs, “nose-horned”), composed of ῥῑ́ς, ῥῑνός (rhī́s, rhīnós, “nose, of (the) nose”) + κέρας (kéras, “horn”).

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