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Definition of stegosaurus

stegosaurus

/ˌstɛɡ.əˈsɔːr.əs/
steg · o · sau · rus
Plural:stegosauruses
•
Adjective:stegosaurian
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stegosaurus Lexical Profile

stegosaurus Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A large, heavily built, herbivorous dinosaur of the Late Jurassic period, native to what is now North America and distinguished by a double row of large kite-shaped bony plates along its back and a heavily spiked tail.

Synonyms
View all synonyms for stegosaurus

• Rhymes for stegosaurus

• Nearby Words

steenbok
steeple
steering wheel
stegosaurus
steinsdalsfossen
stejneger pit viper
steller sea lion

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in 1877 by American paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh from the Greek words 'stegos' (roof or covering) and 'sauros' (lizard), referring to the prominent bony plates that cover its back.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Stegosaurus. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 17, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/stegosaurus
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