dinosaur

noun Etymology: New Latin Dinosaurus, genus name, from Greek deinos terrifying + sauros lizard — more at dire Date: 1841 1. any of a group (Dinosauria) of extinct often very large chiefly terrestrial carnivorous or herbivorous reptiles of the Mesozoic era 2. any of various large extinct reptiles (as ichthyosaurs) other than the true dinosaurs 3. one that is impractically large, out-of-date, or obsolete • dinosaurian adjective • dinosauric adjective