sauropod

[sawr-uh-pod]

noun

1. any herbivorous dinosaur of the suborder Sauropoda, from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, having a small head, long neck and tail, and five-toed limbs: the largest known land animal.

adjective

1. belonging or pertaining to the sauropods.

sauropod

/ ˈsɔːrəˌpɒd, sɔːˈrɒpədəs /

noun

1. any herbivorous quadrupedal saurischian dinosaur of the suborder Sauropoda, of Jurassic and Cretaceous times, including the brontosaurus, diplodocus, and titanosaurs. They had small heads and long necks and tails and were partly amphibious

sauropod

1. One of the two types of saurischian dinosaurs, widespread during the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods. Sauropods were plant-eaters and often grew to tremendous size, having a stout body with thick legs, long slender necks with a small head, and long tails. Sauropods included the apatosaurus (brontosaurus) and brachiosaurus.

2. Compare theropod

Other Word Forms

• sauropodous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sauropod¹

1890–95; < New Latin Sauropoda suborder name < Greek saûro ( s ) lizard + -poda -poda; -pod

Word History and Origins

Origin of sauropod¹

C19: from New Latin sauropoda, from Greek sauros lizard + pous foot

Example Sentences

But the only one that made me feel anything was that pathetic sauropod abandoned like a sidewalk sofa.

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Just days after the sauropod statue was installed in Taupō Sculpture Park, in the scenic centre of New Zealand's North Island, Boom Boom has already prompted heated debate among locals.

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The scientists said the footprints suggested meat-eating theropods and plant-eating sauropods habitually spent time in lagoons.

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They reveal the comings and goings of two different types of dinosaurs that are thought to be a long-necked sauropod called Cetiosaurus and the smaller meat-eating Megalosaurus.

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The contents of coprolites from the first large herbivorous dinosaurs, the long-necked sauropods, surprised the researchers.

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