- a variation of Tyrannosaurus rex.
T. rex
Americannoun
Usage
What is a T. rex? T. rex is short for Tyrannosaurus rex, a giant, meat-eating dinosaur that walked on two legs and had a long tail and a big head with sharp teeth (and, yes, two little arms). The name Tyrannosaurus rex comes from the Greek words tyranno (“tyrant”) and saurus (“lizard”) and the Latin word rex (“king”). So, Tyrannosaurus rex means something like “king of the tyrant lizards.” It is commonly called T. rex for short. The name is fitting: Tyrannosaurus rex is one of the largest land predators that has ever lived. It was the largest of the tyrannosaurs, reaching a length of 47 feet (14. 3 m) or more. People often list the T. rex as their favorite dinosaur, and its popularity has grown through many pop culture depictions, such as its appearances in the Jurassic Park series of movies and books. However, to be scientifically precise about it, the T. rex lived during the Late Cretaceous period, about 90–65 million years ago, around the end of the age of dinosaurs.
Etymology
Origin of T. rex
First recorded in 1980–85; abbreviation of Tyrannosaurus rex ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The meat-eater was either a juvenile T rex or its relative, Nanotyrannus lancensis, a rare dwarf species whose existence is disputed.
From The Guardian • Jul. 17, 2019
In the meantime, other valuable dinosaur fossils were found on the 27,000-acre Murray ranch, including a well-preserved triceratops skull and nearly complete adult T rex, which a Dutch museum purchased for several million dollars.
From The Guardian • Jul. 17, 2019
Digging with a garden shovel and jackknife, Kathy Wankel unearthed a complete T rex arm.
From The Guardian • Jan. 1, 2019
I Google information about where to park at the Googleplex, and Google the Street View of the walk I will make from the car to the right office building, past the replica T rex outside.
From The Guardian • Jan. 19, 2013
The Jurassic Park River Adventure plummets your boat past a snarly T rex and down a steep sluice to land with a cascading plop 80 ft. below.
From Time Magazine Archive
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
