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saurian

[sawr-ee-uh n]

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adjective

belonging or pertaining to the Sauria, a group of reptiles originally including the lizards, crocodiles, and several extinct forms but now technically restricted to the lizards.

resembling a lizard.

noun

a saurian animal, as a dinosaur or lizard.

Origin of saurian

1800–10; < New Latin Sauri(a) an order of reptiles + -an; see -saur

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for saurian

Historical Examples of saurian

But the features were nonhuman, closer to saurian in contour.
Storm Over Warlock
Andre Norton
"Slow her down, Wales," said Scott, after he had observed the situation of the saurian.
Four Young Explorers
Oliver Optic
By the time he laid hold of it, however, the saurian was no longer on dry ground.
The Forest Exiles
Mayne Reid
For some weeks the Saurian eye had been on the two secret creatures.
The Ordeal of Richard Feverel, Complete
George Meredith
By the time he laid hold of it, however, the saurian, was no longer on dry ground.
Popular Adventure Tales
Mayne Reid

British Dictionary definitions for saurian

saurian

adjective

of, relating to, or resembling a lizard

of, relating to, or belonging to the Sauria, a former suborder of reptiles (now called Lacertilia), which included the lizards

noun

a former name for lizard

Word Origin for saurian

C15: from New Latin Sauria, from Greek sauros

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for saurian

n.

reptile of the order Sauria, 1819, from Modern Latin sauria "the order of reptiles," from Greek sauros "lizard" (see -saurus). Sauropod is 1891, from Modern Latin sauropoda (O.C. Marsh, 1884), second element from Greek pous "foot" (see foot (n.)).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

saurian in Science

saurian

[sôr′ē-ən]

A lizard or similar reptile.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.