archosaur

noun
ar·​cho·​saur | \ ˈär-kə-ˌsȯr How to pronounce archosaur (audio) \

Definition of archosaur

: any of a subclass (Archosauria) of reptiles comprising the dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and crocodilians

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Other Words from archosaur

archosaurian \ ˌär-​kə-​ˈsȯr-​ē-​ən How to pronounce archosaurian (audio) \ adjective or noun

Examples of archosaur in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This came as a surprise, Stocker says, and indicates that the more complex, crocodile-type ankle shape was ancestral for archosaurs. Brian Switek, Smithsonian, "Before There Were Dinosaurs, There Was This Weird Crocodile-Looking Thing," 12 Apr. 2017 Looking at the diversity of living and extinct archosaurs Brian Switek, WIRED, "When Pseudo-Crocs Walked Tall," 8 Oct. 2010 Snakes and scaly lizards split from the archosaur before turtles and lack the red oil on their retinas. Joanna Klein, New York Times, "Some Turtles See Red Better Than You Do," 19 Aug. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'archosaur.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of archosaur

1933, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for archosaur

New Latin Archosauria, from Greek archōn + sauros lizard

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