saurischian

American  

[saw-ris-kee-uhn] / sɔˈrɪs ki ən /

noun

1. any herbivorous or carnivorous dinosaur of the order Saurischia, having a three-pronged pelvis resembling that of a crocodile.

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adjective

1. belonging or pertaining to the Saurischia.

saurischian British  

/ sɔːˈrɪskɪən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the Saurischia , an order of late Triassic to Cretaceous dinosaurs including the theropods and sauropods

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noun

1. any dinosaur belonging to the order Saurischia ; a lizard-hipped dinosaur

saurischian Scientific  

/ sô-rĭs′kē-ən /

1. Any of various dinosaurs belonging to the group Saurischia, one of the two main divisions of dinosaurs. Saurischians had a pelvis similar to that of modern reptiles, in which the pubis pointed forward. Saurischians include all the carnivorous dinosaurs (theropods) as well as the herbivorous sauropods, and often grew to great size. Birds are descended from one group of saurischians.

2. Compare ornithischian

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Etymology

Origin of saurischian

1885–90; < New Latin Saurischi ( a ) name of the order ( Saur ( ia ) ( -saur ) + Latin -ischi ( um ) ischium + -a -a ¹ ) + -an

Example Sentences

Like the much later Tyrannosaurus, the Eoraptor belonged to the saurischian, or lizard-hipped, category of dinosaurs.

From Time Magazine Archive