Definition

1. Noun:
   • A taxonomic suborder of herbivorous, beaked dinosaurs: "Suborder Ceratopsia" refers to a specific group within the dinosaur order Ornithischia, characterized by their parrot-like beaks, bony frills at the back of the skull, and, in many later species, horns on the face.
   • Horned dinosaurs: This is the common name for the group, though not all members had prominent horns; the defining features are the beak and frill.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The Suborder Ceratopsia includes well-known dinosaurs like Triceratops.
  • Paleontologists study the fossils of Suborder Ceratopsia to understand their social behavior.

Advanced Usage

• In scientific classification, the term is used to denote a clade. It is often used in phylogenetic contexts.
  • The evolutionary relationships within Suborder Ceratopsia are complex and subject to ongoing research.

Variants and Related Words

• Ceratopsian (n): A member of the Suborder Ceratopsia.
  • Triceratops is a famous ceratopsian.
• Ceratopsid (n): A member of the family Ceratopsidae, a later, more derived group within Ceratopsia that includes the largest and most horned species.
  • Ceratopsids like Styracosaurus had elaborate frills and horns.

Synonyms

• Horned dinosaurs (common name)
• Ceratopsians (informal term for members of the group)

Related Phrases

• Ceratopsia bonebed: A term used in paleontology to describe a fossil site containing multiple individuals of ceratopsians, suggesting herd behavior.
  • The discovery of a Ceratopsia bonebed provided evidence that these dinosaurs lived in groups.

Noun

1. horned dinosaurs