-saurus

element used in forming dinosaur names, from Latinized form of Greek sauros "lizard," a word of unknown origin; possibly related to saulos "twisting, wavering."

Entries linking to -saurus

ankylosaurus (n.)

Cretaceous armored dinosaur, 1907, Modern Latin, from Greek ankylos "bent, curved" (see angle (n.)) + -saurus. Said to be a reference to the curved ribs.

brachiosaurus (n.)

1903, Modern Latin, from Greek brakhion "an arm" (see brachio-) + -saurus. The forelegs are notably longer than the hind legs.

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brontosaurus

one of the first well-known dinosaurs, popularly noted for its great size and small brain capacity, 1879, coined by U.S. paleontologist O.C. Marsh in Modern Latin, from Greek brontē "thunder" (perhaps from PIE imitative root *bhrem- "to growl") + -saurus. The confusion with apato

plesiosaurus

extinct gigantic long-necked marine reptile, 1825, from Modern Latin Pleisiosaurus (1821), coined by English paleontologist William Daniel Conybeare (1787-1857) from Greek plēsios "near" (related to pelas "near, nearby," and probably from PIE *pelh- "to approach") + sauros "lizar

saurian

"reptile of the order Sauria," 1817, from Modern Latin Sauria "the order of reptiles" (Brongniart, 1799), from Greek sauros "lizard" (see -saurus). As an adjective, "belonging to the Sauria," by 1814. Sauropod for the suborder of the big plant-eating dinosaurs is by 1891, from Mo

fickle

c. 1200, "false, treacherous, deceptive, deceitful, crafty" (obsolete), probably from Old English ficol "deceitful, cunning, tricky," related to befician "deceive," and to facen "deceit, treachery; blemish, fault." Common Germanic (compare Old Saxon fekan "deceit," Old High Germa

pastor

late 14c. (mid-13c. as a surname), "shepherd, one who has care of a flock or herd" (a sense now obsolete), also figurative, "spiritual guide, shepherd of souls, a Christian minister or clergyman," from Old French pastor, pastur "herdsman, shepherd" (12c.) and directly from Latin

meditation

c. 1200, meditacioun, "contemplation; devout preoccupation; private devotions, prayer," from Old French meditacion "thought, reflection, study," and directly from Latin meditationem (nominative meditatio) "a thinking over, meditation," noun of action from past-participle stem of

milk

"opaque white fluid secreted by mammary glands of female mammals, suited to the nourishment of their young," Middle English milk, from Old English meoluc (West Saxon), milc (Anglian), from Proto-Germanic *meluk- "milk" (source also of Old Norse mjolk, Old Frisian melok, Old Saxon

stamp

Middle English stampen "pound, mash, beat, crush," from Old English stempan "to pound, crush, or bruise in or as in a mortar," from Proto-Germanic *stamp- (source also of Old Norse stappa, Danish stampe, Middle Dutch stampen, Old High German stampfon, German stampfen "to stamp wi

revelation

c. 1300, revelacioun, "disclosure of information or knowledge to man by a divine or supernatural agency," from Old French revelacion and directly from Latin revelationem (nominative revelatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of revelare "unveil, uncover, lay bare" (see

quench

Middle English quenchen, "to extinguish, put out" (heat, light, fire, also of desire, hunger, thirst), also figurative, "to bring to naught, eliminate, render ineffectual" (c. 1200), Old English acwencan "to quench" (of fire, light), from Proto-Germanic *kwenkjanan, probably a ca

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updated on September 28, 2017

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Dictionary entries near -saurus

Saul

sault

sauna

saunter

saurian

-saurus

sausage

saute

Sauterne

savable

savage