Therapsid
/θəˈræpsɪd/noun
A member of the extinct reptile-like group Therapsida, which includes the evolutionary ancestors of mammals.
Did you know?Therapsids were not true dinosaurs: their lineage eventually produced mammals, making them part of the deep evolutionary history behind humans.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ǵʰwer-
“A wild animal or beast; the reconstructed root behind later Greek terms for wild creatures.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
thḗr (θήρ)
“A wild animal, beast, or predatory creature.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
thērión (θηρίον)
“A wild beast or animal; the source of scientific compounds such as theropod and therian.”
19th Century
Scientific Greek
Therapsida
“The taxonomic name formed with Greek thḗr, “beast,” and -apsida, referring to an arch or vault, in zoological classification.”
20th Century
English
therapsid
“A member of Therapsida, a major group of extinct synapsids that included mammal-like forms and mammal ancestors.”