1 definition by Copycat26
1.) The term means "terrible lizard", derived from Greek words. Extremely successful creatures who are believed to have died out 65 million years ago and lived/ruled during the Mesozoic era. Some (meaning the theropods) are also believed to be the ancestors of modern-day birds due to feather imprints around fossils and other similarities, with the closest links being the dromaeosaurs (raptors); however, none seem to have been able to actually fly.
There were a number of different groups, but they are generally classified by whether they were herbivorous or carnivorous, which is also also by the structure of their hip bones (bird- or lizard-hipped). Some, if not all, might have even been warm-blooded. They were also the descendants of reptiles, not the other way around. And contrary to popular belief, most were not ridiculously huge. Most were were about the size of a large car or smaller.
Although it seems like we've dug up every dinosaur that ever lived in the world, in truth it is only a small percentage, so we'll never actually really know that much about them. Oh, and don't forget that thanks to World War II, the first fossils of Carcharodontosaurus and Spinosaurus were destroyed.
2.) Something old or outdated; obsolete. May also pertain to the description of an older person.
There were a number of different groups, but they are generally classified by whether they were herbivorous or carnivorous, which is also also by the structure of their hip bones (bird- or lizard-hipped). Some, if not all, might have even been warm-blooded. They were also the descendants of reptiles, not the other way around. And contrary to popular belief, most were not ridiculously huge. Most were were about the size of a large car or smaller.
Although it seems like we've dug up every dinosaur that ever lived in the world, in truth it is only a small percentage, so we'll never actually really know that much about them. Oh, and don't forget that thanks to World War II, the first fossils of Carcharodontosaurus and Spinosaurus were destroyed.
2.) Something old or outdated; obsolete. May also pertain to the description of an older person.
When the fossils of a dinosaur called Megalosaurus were found in 1677, people thought it was a dragon.
by Copycat26 August 13, 2011