pelycosaur

[pel-i-kuh-sawr]

noun

1. any of a group of large primitive reptiles belonging to the extinct order Pelycosauria, abundant in North America and Europe during the Permian Period, often having a tall spinal sail.

pelycosaur

/ ˈpɛlɪkəʊˌsɔː /

noun

1. any extinct mammal-like reptile of the order Pelycosauria, of Upper Carboniferous to Lower Permian times, from which the therapsids are thought to have evolved

Word History and Origins

Origin of pelycosaur¹

< New Latin Pelycosauria (1878), equivalent to Greek pelyk-, stem of pélyx wooden bowl, cup (taken as meaning pelvis, parallel to the New Latin sense of Latin pelvis ) + -o- -o- + saûr ( os ) -saur + New Latin -ia -ia; so named from the peculiar form of the ischium in such reptiles

Word History and Origins

Origin of pelycosaur¹

C19: from New Latin Pelycosauria, from Greek pelyx bowl, _pelvis , + _-saur

Example Sentences

By far the most famous pelycosaur is /Dimetrodon/, a 3m-long predator with a sail on its back.

Read more on Forbes

On a new pelycosaur from the lower Permian of Oklahoma, and the origin of the family Caseidae.

Read more on Project Gutenberg