English

Picture dictionary
reptile
diplodocus triceratops Tyrannosaurus rex

Alternative forms

• deinosaur (archaic)
• dinosaurus

Noun

dinosaur ‎(plural dinosaurs)

1. Any of the animals belonging to the clade Dinosauria, especially those that existed during the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods and are now extinct [from c. 1840]
2. (proscribed) Any extinct reptile, not necessarily belonging to Dinosauria, that existed between about 230 million and 65 million years ago
3. (figuratively, colloquial) A person or organisation that is very old, has very old-fashioned views, or is not willing to change and adapt
4. (figuratively, colloquial) Anything no longer in common use or practice

Usage notes

Many animals commonly described as dinosaurs do not belong to Dinosauria, and are not true dinosaurs. These include pterosaurs, ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs. Describing these as dinosaurs is frowned upon in scientific writing but persists in the media and in everyday speech.

Conversely, not all members of Dinosauria became extinct in the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event. Those that survived were the ancestors of modern birds, which therefore also belong to Dinosauria. However, birds are not usually described as dinosaurs, except in some popular science writing.

Synonyms

• (dinosaur excluding birds): nonavian dinosaur
• (person who is very old): fossil, old fart

Derived terms

• -saur

Translations

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Ancient Greek "deinos" + "sauros"

Alternative forms

• dinosaurus

Noun

dinosaur m ‎(definite singular dinosauren, indefinite plural dinosaurer, definite plural dinosaurene)

1. a dinosaur (extinct reptile)

References

• “dinosaur” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Ancient Greek "deinos" + "sauros"

Alternative forms

• dinosaurus

Noun

dinosaur m ‎(definite singular dinosauren, indefinite plural dinosaurar, definite plural dinosaurane)

1. a dinosaur (extinct reptile)

References

• “dinosaur” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Volapük

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [di.no.sa.ˈuɾ]

Noun

dinosaur ‎(plural dinosaurs)

1. dinosaur

Declension

Hyponyms

• dinosauril
• dinosaurül
• hidinosaur
• jidinosaur
• ledinosaur

Derived terms