dinosaur

American  

[dahy-nuh-sawr] / ˈdaɪ nəˌsɔr /

noun

1. any chiefly terrestrial, herbivorous or carnivorous reptile of the extinct orders Saurischia and Ornithischia, from the Mesozoic Era, certain species of which are the largest known land animals.

2. something that is unwieldy in size, anachronistically outmoded, or unable to adapt to change.

   The old steel mill was a dinosaur that cost the company millions to operate.

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dinosaur British  

/ ˈdaɪnəˌsɔː /

noun

1. any extinct terrestrial reptile of the orders Saurischia and Ornithischia, many of which were of gigantic size and abundant in the Mesozoic era See also saurischian ornithischian Compare pterosaur plesiosaur

2. a person or thing that is considered to be out of date

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Other Word Forms

• dinosaurian adjective

Etymology

Origin of dinosaur

< New Latin Dinosaurus (1841), originally a genus name. See dino-, -saur

Example Sentences

South Korea is well known for fossilized dinosaur tracks, nests, and eggs, but actual dinosaur bones are relatively rare.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

By combining both scenarios, the researchers estimated the total stress each dinosaur experienced.

From Science Daily • Mar. 30, 2026

Amid the moss-draped live oaks and blooming pink and white azaleas, a person in a purple Barney dinosaur costume held a sign reading: “Dino’s for Democracy.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

Where dinosaur tracks coexist beside spooky rows of barracks left from a 16th-century monastery, there’s a spectacular view of coastline all the way back to the white spires of Lisbon.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

She was nice to me and so were her parents, even though they knew I did the dinosaur poop thing.

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman

Related Words

• antiquated
• archaic
• out-of-date
• outmoded