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Definition of therizinosaurus
therizinosaurus
/ˌθɛr.ɪˌzɪn.oʊˈsɔːr.əs/
ther · i · zi · no · sau · rus
Plural:therizinosaurs
therizinosaurus Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
7
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A genus of very large, heavily built theropod dinosaurs that lived during the Late Cretaceous period in what is now Asia, characterized by a long neck, a wide torso, and extraordinarily long, scythe-like claws on its forelimbs used primarily for foraging vegetation.
Example
"Despite descending from primarily carnivorous theropods, the Therizinosaurus adapted to a predominantly herbivorous diet, using its massive claws to pull down leafy branches."
• Rhymes for therizinosaurus
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in 1954 by Soviet paleontologist Evgeny Maleev, derived from the Ancient Greek 'therizo' (to reap or to cut) and 'sauros' (lizard), a reference to the enormous, scythe-like claws found on its forelimbs.
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Therizinosaurus. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/therizinosaurus