Kalmar "genus" tana nufin nau'in harajin da aka yi amfani da shi a cikin rarrabuwar halittu wanda ƙungiyoyin jinsin da ke da alaƙa da juna suke tare. . Sunan "Megatherium" yana nufin "babban dabba" a harshen Helenanci, kuma asalin halittar ta ƙunshi nau'ikan nau'ikan dabbobi masu girma masu girma, masu tsire-tsire masu nauyin ton da yawa kuma suna da tsayi mai lanƙwasa ƙwanƙwasa don haƙa da kamawa.