dinosaur

di·no·saur

noun \ˈdī-nə-ˌsȯr\

Definition of DINOSAUR

1

: any of a group (Dinosauria) of extinct often very large chiefly terrestrial carnivorous or herbivorous reptiles of the Mesozoic era

2

: any of various large extinct reptiles (as ichthyosaurs) other than the true dinosaurs

3

: one that is impractically large, out-of-date, or obsolete

— di·no·sau·ri·an \ˌdī-nə-ˈsȯr-ē-ən\ adjective

— di·no·sau·ric \-ˈsȯr-ik\ adjective

Examples of DINOSAUR

1. The old factory is now a rusting dinosaur.
2. The character she plays is a dinosaur—a former beauty queen who is living in the past.

Origin of DINOSAUR

New Latin Dinosaurus, genus name, from Greek deinos terrifying + sauros lizard — more at dire

First Known Use: 1841

Related to DINOSAUR

Synonyms: has–been, relic

Antonyms: diminutive, dwarf, half-pint, midget, mite, peewee, pygmy (also pigmy), runt, shrimp

Related Words: dodo, fogy (also fogey), fossil, old-timer; fuddy-duddy, mossback, stick-in-the-mud, stodge [British], troglodyte; throwback

Near Antonyms: comer, rising star, up-and-comer

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with DINOSAUR

albacore, allosaur, alongshore, anaphor, anymore, archosaur, at death's door, at one's door, Bangalore, bargain for, Barrymore, canker sore, carnivore, carnosaur, close the door, Coimbatore, come in for, commodore, comprador, consignor, corridor, cuspidor, devisor, door-to-door, double door, Ecuador, either-or, Eleanor, elector, endospore, evermore, except for, forest floor, franchisor, from the floor, furthermore, general store, go in for, guarantor, Gwalior, hackamore, hadrosaur, hellebore, herbivore, heretofore, humidor, in line for, Koko Nor, komondor, Labrador, licensor, Lipitor, louis d'or, madrepore, Mangalore, man-of-war, manticore, matador, meteor, micropore, Minotaur, mirador, more and more, nevermore, not long for, omnivore, open-door, out-of-door, package store, parador, petit four, picador, pinafore, piscivore, pompadour, Pompadour, predator, promisor, pterosaur, saddle sore, sagamore, Salvador, semaphore, servitor, standard score, stand up for, stegosaur, stevedore, stick up for, superstore, sycamore, take the floor, theretofore, to die for, troubadour, tug-of-war, two-by-four, uncalled-for, underscore, unlooked-for, vavasor, warrantor