dinosaurs

Cultural  

1. Reptiles, now extinct, that were the dominant life form on Earth for many millions of years. The name dinosaur comes from the Greek words for “monstrous lizard.” Dinosaurs became extinct suddenly, about sixty-five million years ago. Scientists now believe that their extinction was caused by the impact of a large asteroid on the Earth.

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Some dinosaurs were very large and had small brains — factors that may in part have led to their extinction. The term is often used to refer to something or someone that is antiquated and unable to adapt to change: “The old cavalry generals couldn't adjust to the use of tanks — they became dinosaurs.”

Some scientists believe that modern birds are the descendants of dinosaurs.

Commonly known dinosaurs include Tyrannosaurus rex, Brontosaurus, Stegosaurus, and Triceratops.

Example Sentences

Olivia Munn is at home with her son, Malcolm, 4, who can be heard in the background of our call announcing that dinosaurs are allergic to lasers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

Clarke noted that CT scanning has become an essential method for studying delicate fossils, especially small dinosaurs and early birds trapped in solid rock.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

As head of Simon Property Group, he defied critics who said that malls were dinosaurs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

In a room along the corridor, Highbury children are in a movement class with the help of some brightly coloured animated dinosaurs on a screen.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

These games were outdated digital dinosaurs that had become museum pieces long before I was born.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline