mastodon (n.)
"large, extinct, forest-dwelling elephant-like mammal of North and Central America," 1813, from Modern Latin genus name Mastodon (1806), coined by French naturalist Georges Léopole Chrétien Frédéric Dagobert, Baron Cuvier (1769-1832) from Greek mastos "breast" (see masto-) + -odon "tooth" (from PIE root *dent- "tooth"); so called from the nipple-like projections on the crowns of the mammal's fossil molars. They died out about 10,500 years ago, probably hunted to extinction by humans. Their bones had been dug up in America since 1705, but at first they were confused with those of the mammoth. Related: Mastodontic.
updated on May 31, 2019
Dictionary entries near mastodon
masticate
mastication
mastiff
mastitis
masto-
mastodon
mastoid
masturbate
masturbation
masturbator
mat