tyrannosaur

noun

ty·​ran·​no·​saur tə-ˈra-nə-ˌsȯr How to pronounce tyrannosaur (audio)
tī-
plural tyrannosaurs
1
: a massive North American tyrannosaurid dinosaur (Tyrannosaurus rex) : tyrannosaurus rex
2

Examples of tyrannosaur in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web While the bulk of the family, including the tyrannosaurs and the velociraptors, broke out in feathers with their feet firmly planted, a small subset of the theropods developed feathers that took them to the skies some 230 million years ago. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 12 Feb. 2024 Numerous sites in northern Canada and Alaska have yielded fantastic finds, including an Arctic tyrannosaur. Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 18 June 2019 But there is little fossil evidence for young tyrannosaurs. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 4 Jan. 2024 Historically, however, the subject of tyrannosaur species has been controversial among scientists. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Jan. 2024 This feature, Lucas says, would have helped tyrannosaurs visually differentiate between individuals of their own and other species. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 11 Jan. 2024 The findings suggest tyrannosaurs originated and evolved in the area, the study authors write. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Jan. 2024 The find also has interesting implications for the timeline of tyrannosaurs’ evolution, Dr. Holtz said. Asher Elbein, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2024 The discovery confirms what researchers have long suspected: Juvenile tyrannosaurs, like this one, sliced through the flesh of small prey with blade-like teeth, while adults, with chompers strong enough to crush bone, targeted giant herbivores. Aylin Woodward, WSJ, 8 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tyrannosaur.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Tyrannosaurus, from Greek tyrannos tyrant + sauros lizard

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tyrannosaur was in 1905

Dictionary Entries Near tyrannosaur

Cite this Entry

“Tyrannosaur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tyrannosaur. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tyrannosaur

noun
ty·​ran·​no·​saur tə-ˈran-ə-ˌsȯ(ə)r How to pronounce tyrannosaur (audio)
tī-
: a very large North American flesh-eating dinosaur of the Cretaceous period that had small forelegs and walked on its hind legs

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