Jurassic
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
noun
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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.
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See Chart at geologic time
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of Jurassic
First recorded in 1825–35; Jur(a) + -assic, suffix extracted from Triassic; compare French jurassique
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.
Speaking to the BBC at the 1993 premiere of Jurassic Park, which co-starred Richard Attenborough and Laura Dern, Neill said the way the film had been received was a "big surprise".
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
If you’re going to watch one scene of his, I recommend this iconic one from Jurassic Park, the 1993 movie that made Neill famous.
From Slate ● Jul. 13, 2026
Grant survived the harrowing events when the creatures get loose, but didn’t return for “The Lost World: Jurassic Park II” in 1997.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
Since the 2000s, the movie business has been dominated by franchises like Marvel, Harry Potter and Jurassic World, which are owned or controlled by major studios.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
“I don’t know what they did,” Deborah said, “but it all sound like Jurassic Park to me.”
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
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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.