dinosaur

[ dahy-nuh-sawr ]
/ ˈdaɪ nəˌsɔr /

noun

any chiefly terrestrial, herbivorous or carnivorous reptile of the extinct orders Saurischia and Ornithischia, from the Mesozoic Era, certain species of which are the largest known land animals.
something that is unwieldy in size, anachronistically outmoded, or unable to adapt to change: The old steel mill was a dinosaur that cost the company millions to operate.

Origin of dinosaur

< New Latin Dinosaurus (1841), originally a genus name. See dino-, -saur

Words nearby dinosaur

dinnertime, dinnerware, dino-, dinoceras, dinoflagellate, dinosaur, dinosaur national monument, dinosaurian, dinosaurs, dinothere, dinotherium

Example sentences from the Web for dinosaurs

British Dictionary definitions for dinosaurs

dinosaur
/ (ˈdaɪnəˌsɔː) /

noun

any extinct terrestrial reptile of the orders Saurischia and Ornithischia, many of which were of gigantic size and abundant in the Mesozoic era See also saurischian, ornithischian Compare pterosaur, plesiosaur
a person or thing that is considered to be out of date

Derived forms of dinosaur

dinosaurian, adjective

Word Origin for dinosaur

C19: from New Latin dinosaurus, from Greek deinos fearful + sauros lizard

Scientific definitions for dinosaurs

dinosaur
[ dī′nə-sôr′ ]

Any of various extinct reptiles of the orders Saurischia and Ornithischia that flourished during the Mesozoic Era. Dinosaurs were carnivorous or herbivorous, dwelled mostly on land, and varied from the size of a small dog to the largest land animals that ever lived. One group of dinosaurs evolved into birds. See more at ornithischian saurischian. See Note at bird.

Cultural definitions for dinosaurs

dinosaurs

Reptiles, now extinct, that were the dominant life form on Earth for many millions of years. The name dinosaur comes from the Greek words for “monstrous lizard.” Dinosaurs became extinct suddenly, about sixty-five million years ago. Scientists now believe that their extinction was caused by the impact of a large asteroid on the Earth.

notes for dinosaurs

Some dinosaurs were very large and had small brains — factors that may in part have led to their extinction. The term is often used to refer to something or someone that is antiquated and unable to adapt to change: “The old cavalry generals couldn't adjust to the use of tanks — they became dinosaurs.”

notes for dinosaurs

Commonly known dinosaurs include Tyrannosaurus rex, Brontosaurus, Stegosaurus, and Triceratops.

notes for dinosaurs

Some scientists believe that modern birds are the descendants of dinosaurs.