saurischian

[ saw-ris-kee-uhn ]

noun
  1. any herbivorous or carnivorous dinosaur of the order Saurischia, having a three-pronged pelvis resembling that of a crocodile.: Compare ornithischian.

adjective
  1. belonging or pertaining to the Saurischia.

Origin of saurischian

1
1885–90; <New Latin Saurischi(a) name of the order (Saur(ia) (see -saur) + Latin -ischi(um) ischium + -a-a1) + -an

Words Nearby saurischian

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British Dictionary definitions for saurischian

saurischian

/ (sɔːˈrɪskɪən) /


adjective
  1. of, relating to, or belonging to the Saurischia, an order of late Triassic to Cretaceous dinosaurs including the theropods and sauropods

noun
  1. any dinosaur belonging to the order Saurischia; a lizard-hipped dinosaur

Origin of saurischian

1
C19: from New Latin Saurischia, from saurus + ischium

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for saurischian

saurischian

[ sô-rĭskē-ən ]


  1. Any of various dinosaurs belonging to the group Saurischia, one of the two main divisions of dinosaurs. Saurischians had a pelvis similar to that of modern reptiles, in which the pubis pointed forward. Saurischians include all the carnivorous dinosaurs (theropods) as well as the herbivorous sauropods, and often grew to great size. Birds are descended from one group of saurischians. Compare ornithischian.

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