Dinosaur

Quick meaning: Dinosaur is a noun meaning (figuratively, colloquial) Anything no longer in common use or practice.

Meaning

(figuratively, colloquial) Anything no longer in common use or practice.

More Meanings

1. (usually) Those animals of the clade Dinosauria that existed during the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods and are now extinct; that is, any member of the clade Dinosauria other than birds.
2. (less often but also correctly) Any of the animals belonging to the clade Dinosauria, including all non-avian dinosaurs (all extinct) and all birds (extant or extinct).
3. (loosely, informal, proscribed) Any extinct reptile, not necessarily belonging to Dinosauria, that existed between about 230 million and 65 million years ago, as well as the stem-mammal Dimetrodon.
4. (figuratively, colloquial) Someone or something that is very old or old-fashioned, especially someone who is not willing to change and adapt.

Example Sentences

‘Dinosaur!’ Denham exploded. ‘By the Power! A dinosaur!’

Pterosaurs, plesiosaurs, icthyosaurs — I don't know, they're all dinosaurs to me!

"Not a bird, my dear Roxton - not a bird." "A beast?" "No; a reptile - a dinosaur."

Despite what some cartoons portray, no humans were around when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

Word Forms

• dinosaurs
• dinosaurus

Synonyms for dinosaur

Depending on context, synonyms include fossil, fuddy-duddy.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include ceratopsian, saurischian, ornithischian, park, hung, exhibition.

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