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Definition of dinosaur

dinosaur

/ˈdaɪ.nə.sɔːr/
di · no · saur
Plural:dinosaurs
•
Adjective:dinosaurian
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dinosaur Lexical Profile

dinosaur Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A diverse group of extinct terrestrial reptiles of the Mesozoic era, characterized by an upright stance and ranging in size from small bird-like creatures to massive herbivores.

2

A person, organization, or thing that is outdated, obsolete, or has failed to adapt to changing modern circumstances.

Example

"The bureaucratic corporation was seen as a dinosaur in the rapidly evolving and agile tech industry."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for dinosaur
Antonyms
View all antonyms for dinosaur

Word Nuance & Usage

In modern scientific classification, birds are considered living avian dinosaurs, though in everyday conversation the term almost exclusively refers to the extinct non-avian reptiles.

• Nearby Words

dinnertime
dinnerware
dino
dinosaur
dint
diocesan
diocese

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in 1841 by English paleontologist Sir Richard Owen, from Ancient Greek 'deinos' (terrible, fearfully great) and 'sauros' (lizard or reptile).

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Dinosaur. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/dinosaur
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