Jurassic

[joo-ras-ik]

adjective

1. noting or pertaining to a period of the Mesozoic Epoch, occurring from 190 to 140 million years ago and characterized by an abundance of dinosaurs and the advent of birds and mammals.

noun

1. the Jurassic Period or System.

Jurassic

/ dʒʊˈræsɪk /

adjective

1. of, denoting, or formed in the second period of the Mesozoic era, between the Triassic and Cretaceous periods, lasting for 55 million years during which dinosaurs and ammonites flourished

noun

1. the Jurassic period or rock system

Jurassic

1. The second and middle period of the Mesozoic Era, from about 208 to 144 million years ago. During this time the supercontinent Pangaea continued to split up and numerous shallow seas inundated the new continents. Dinosaurs were the dominant form of terrestrial animal life, and the earliest birds appeared. Marine life was dominated by ammonites and belemnites, and sponges, corals, bryozoa, and gastropods all flourished. Gymnosperms and cycads were the dominant land plants.

2. See Chart at geologic time

Other Word Forms

• post-Jurassic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Jurassic¹

First recorded in 1825–35; Jur(a) + -assic, suffix extracted from Triassic; compare French jurassique

Word History and Origins

Origin of Jurassic¹

C19: from French jurassique, after the _Jura (Mountains)

Example Sentences

“Jurassic World Rebirth” did worse than any of its predecessors since 2001’s “Jurassic Park III,” and the “Fantastic Four” reboot plummeted after a promising opening weekend.

From Los Angeles Times

Legendary, the US film production company behind movies like Dune and Jurassic World, will be making a movie of Gundam, a military science fiction anime series about a giant robot that began in 1979.

From BBC

The next two evenings at the Bowl, when Dudamel accompanied a screening of “Jurassic Park” with the score performed live by the L.A.

From Los Angeles Times

At the Wednesday auction, which featured more than 100 items, a Ceratosaurus skeleton from the late Jurassic period sold for $26m and the skull of a Pachycephalosaurus sold for $1.4m.

From BBC

“Superman” bumped “Jurassic World Rebirth” to second place, which collected $38.8 million domestically over the weekend for a total of $231 million so far.

From Los Angeles Times