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allosaurus

noun
al·​lo·​sau·​rus | \ ˌa-lə-ˈsȯr-əs How to pronounce allosaurus (audio) \

Definition of allosaurus

: any of a genus (Allosaurus) of very large carnivorous North American theropod dinosaurs of the Late Jurassic period

Examples of allosaurus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 Discover fossils at Dinosaur National Monument, Utah Take a giant stride back 150 million years to the Jurassic era and explore the fossils of allosauruses and stegosauruses that once roamed northeastern Utah. — National Geographic, "Electrifying places to visit if you love science," 17 June 2019 But people can also bypass that completely and head right toward that violent T. rex vs. triceratops display, as well as to view other dinosaurs like the allosaurus and stegosaurus. — David Oliver, USA TODAY, "Want to see a T. rex gnawing on a triceratops? There's a new Smithsonian exhibit for that," 5 June 2019

First Known Use of allosaurus

1886, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for allosaurus

borrowed from New Latin, genus name, from allo- allo- + -saurus -saurus

Note: Genus name introduced by the American paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh (1831-99) in "Notice of New Dinosaurian Reptiles from the Jurassic Formation," The American Journal of Science and Arts, vol. 114 (3rd series, vol. 14) (Jul.-Dec., 1877), no. 84, pp. 514-16. The combining element allo- is apparently meant to represent its distinctness: "This genus may be distinguished from any known Dinosaurs by the vertebræ, which are peculiarly modified to ensure lightness" (p. 515).

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More Definitions for allosaurus

allosaurus

noun
all·​o·​sau·​rus | \ ˌa-lə-ˈsȯr-əs How to pronounce allosaurus (audio) \

Kids Definition of allosaurus

: a large meat-eating dinosaur related to the tyrannosaur

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