ankylosaur

American  

[ang-kuh-loh-sawr] / ˈæŋ kə loʊˌsɔr /

noun

1. any of several herbivorous dinosaurs of the suborder Ankylosauria, from the Cretaceous Period, having the body covered with thick, bony plates.

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ankylosaur British  

/ ˈæŋkɪləʊˌsɔː /

noun

1. any of various quadrupedal herbivorous ornithischian dinosaurs constituting the suborder Ankylosauria, which were most abundant in upper Cretaceous times and had a very heavily armoured tanklike body

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Etymology

Origin of ankylosaur

First recorded in 1905–10, ankylosaur is from the New Latin word Ankylosauria name of the suborder. See ancylo-, -saur, -ia

Example Sentences

Because no larger specimens have ever been found, some researchers proposed that this might represent a rare case of a miniature ankylosaur.

From Science Daily • Apr. 21, 2026

Fairy-tale-like, just weeks earlier, local kids had stumbled into a discovery of ankylosaur tracks, so Tumbler Ridge rebranded to take advantage of its grand mountain views and spectacular surroundings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

Though the new dinosaur bears some similarities to the last ankylosaur discovered on the island - called Polacanthus foxii - scientists do not think the two species were very closely related.

From BBC • Jun. 15, 2023

More prehistory: A study of an ankylosaur skeleton provides insights into the behavior of a dinosaur that was practically a natural tank.

From New York Times • Dec. 8, 2022

They included two unique footprints: one made by an ankylosaur, an armored plant-eating dinosaur, and the other by a carnivorous theropod.

From Washington Post • Oct. 1, 2022