---
title: trilobite — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «trilobite» in the school dictionary: A trilobite was a sea animal with a hard, jointed shell and many legs that lived about 520 to 250 million years ago; trilobites are now extinct and known only from fossils. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# trilobite

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** trilobite, hard jointed shell, trilobites, I, museum · **What happens:** be, joint, live, know, find, crawl · **To what, where:** sea animal, fossils, fossil, trilobite fossil, beach, sea floor

<!-- .vabout -->
«trilobite» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [trilobite in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/trilobite.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A trilobite was a sea animal with a hard, jointed shell and many legs that lived about 520 to 250 million years ago; trilobites are now extinct and known only from fossils.

<!-- fold The tree, 32 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trilobite:m1:1
# text = A trilobite was a sea animal with a hard, jointed shell and many legs that lived about 520 to 250 million years ago; trilobites are now extinct and known only from fossils.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	trilobite	trilobite	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
9	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
11	jointed	joint	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	12	amod	_	_
12	shell	shell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
14	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	conj	_	_
16	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	17	nsubj	_	_
17	lived	live	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	acl:relcl	_	_
18	about	about	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
19	520	520	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	22	compound	_	_
20	to	to	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
21	250	250	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	19	nmod	_	_
22	million	million	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	23	nummod	_	_
23	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	24	obl:unmarked	_	_
24	ago	ago	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	29	punct	_	_
26	trilobites	trilobite	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	29	nsubj	_	_
27	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	29	cop	_	_
28	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	29	advmod	_	_
29	extinct	extinct	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	_
30	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	31	cc	_	_
31	known	know	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	29	conj	_	_
32	only	only	ADV	RB	_	34	advmod	_	_
33	from	from	ADP	IN	_	34	case	_	_
34	fossils	fossil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	31	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
35	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | a trilobite | a sea animal |  |  |  | with a hard jointed shell and many legs | tree rules |
| 2 | **joint** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **live** | past | a hard jointed shell and many legs |  |  |  |  | ago *property* | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **is** | present | trilobites |  |  |  | now | extinct *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **know** | participle | trilobites *not said here* |  |  | fossils |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A trilobite is also a fossil of one of these animals.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trilobite:m2:1
# text = A trilobite is also a fossil of one of these animals.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	trilobite	trilobite	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	fossil	fossil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nmod	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	these	this	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	11	det	_	_
11	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a trilobite | a fossil |  |  |  | of one of this animals | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I found a trilobite fossil on the beach in Wales.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trilobite:x1:1
# text = I found a trilobite fossil on the beach in Wales.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	trilobite	trilobite	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	fossil	fossil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	beach	beach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	Wales	Wales	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **find** | past | I | a trilobite fossil |  | the beach in Wales |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fossil=Topic |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Trilobites crawled along the sea floor long before the dinosaurs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trilobite:x2:1
# text = Trilobites crawled along the sea floor long before the dinosaurs.
1	Trilobites	trilobite	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	crawled	crawl	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	along	along	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	floor	floor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	2	advmod	_	_
8	before	before	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	dinosaurs	dinosaur	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **crawl** | past | Trilobites |  |  | the sea floor | before the dinosaurs | long *property* | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme along floor=Trajectory |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A trilobite's body was split into three long parts.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trilobite:x3:1
# text = A trilobite's body was split into three long parts.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	trilobite	trilobite	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	split	split	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	into	into	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
9	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	parts	part	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **split** | past · passive |  | a trilobite's body |  |  |  | into three long parts *result* | vn break-45.1 «NP V NP PP.result»: subject=Patient into part=Result |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some trilobites could roll up into a ball like a woodlouse.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trilobite:x4:1
# text = Some trilobites could roll up into a ball like a woodlouse.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	trilobites	trilobite	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	roll	roll	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	up	up	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	_
6	into	into	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
9	like	like	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	woodlouse	woodlouse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **roll up** | could | some trilobites |  |  | a ball |  | like a woodlouse | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme into ball=Destination |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Trilobites had eyes made of crystal.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trilobite:x5:1
# text = Trilobites had eyes made of crystal.
1	Trilobites	trilobite	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	crystal	crystal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | Trilobites | eyes |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent eye=Patient |
| 2 | **make** | participle |  | eyes *not said here* |  |  |  | of crystal | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
All trilobites died out about 250 million years ago.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trilobite:x6:1
# text = All trilobites died out about 250 million years ago.
1	All	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	trilobites	trilobite	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	died	die	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	out	out	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	about	about	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
6	250	250	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	7	compound	_	_
7	million	million	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl:unmarked	_	_
9	ago	ago	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **die out** | past | all trilobites |  |  |  |  | ago *property* | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The museum had a whole case of trilobites.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trilobite:x7:1
# text = The museum had a whole case of trilobites.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	museum	museum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	case	case	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	trilobites	trilobite	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | the museum | a whole case of trilobites |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent case=Patient |

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**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

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