pterosaur

noun

ptero·​saur ˈter-ə-ˌsȯr 

: any of an order (Pterosauria) of extinct flying reptiles existing from the Late Triassic throughout the Jurassic and most of the Cretaceous and having a featherless wing membrane extending from the side of the body along the arm to the end of the greatly elongated fourth digit

Examples of pterosaur in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There was a pterosaur found preserved in its stomach and there were iguanodon remains found in the maw of a Baryonyx, another large carnivore belonging to the same lineage as the Spinosaurus. —Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 8 Aug. 2025

We’re stuck with it, though, so might as well go with the pterosaur flow. —Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025

First occurrence The pterosaur’s jawbone with teeth came from a remote area in northeastern Arizona’s Petrified Forest National Park, Smithsonian officials said. —Sara Schilling july 9, Sacbee.com, 9 July 2025

While many later pterosaurs had toothless beaks, early pterosaurs like Eotephradactylus were toothy. —Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Pterosauria, from Greek pteron wing + sauros lizard

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pterosaur

• albacore
• alongshore
• antiwar
• anymore
• blastopore
• carnivore
• commodore
• dinosaur
• evermore
• furthermore
• guarantor
• herbivore

Kids Definition

pterosaur

noun

ptero·​saur ˈter-ə-ˌsȯ(ə)r 

: pterodactyl