glyptodon

See also: Glyptodon

English

Etymology

From the New Latin genus name Glyptodon (from Ancient Greek γλυπτός (gluptós, “sculptured”) +‎ ὀδοντ-, ὀδούς (odont-, odoús, “tooth”), 'grooved or carved tooth')

Noun

glyptodon (plural glyptodons)

1. (paleontology) A member of the genus Glyptodon of extinct giant armadillos.
   • 1851 June 11, The Geelong Advertiser, Victoria, page 1, column 2:

     The more striking phenomena first and most strongly impress the mind, which contrasts for example, the great Cave-Bears of Europe with the actual Brown Bear, the Megatheriods of South America with the small existing sloths, and the gigantic Glyptodons with the Armadillos.

   • 1980, Gene Wolfe, chapter IV, in The Shadow of the Torturer (The Book of the New Sun; 1), New York: Simon & Schuster, →ISBN, page 43:

     Statues of beasts stood with their backs to the four walls of the court, eyes turned to watch the canted dial: hulking barylambdas; arctothers, the monarchs of bears; glyptodons; smilodons with fangs like glaives.

2. (obsolete) Synonym of glyptodontid

French

Noun

glyptodon m (plural glyptodons)

1. glyptodon

Further reading

• “glyptodon”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.