n. Any of several very large, extinct proboscidian mammals of the family Mammutidae of the Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene Epochs, resembling elephants but having molar teeth of a different structure. [New Latin Mastodōn, genus name : Greek mastos, breast, nipple + Greek odōn, tooth (from the nipple-shaped protrusions on the crowns of its molars); see dent- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] mas′to·donic adj. |
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