mosasaur

noun

mo·​sa·​saur ˈmō-zə-ˌsȯr 

: any of a family (Mosasauridae) of very large extinct marine fish-eating lizards of the Upper Cretaceous with limbs modified into paddles that are related to the recent monitor lizards

Examples of mosasaur in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The gigantic mosasaur lived at the end of the Cretaceous period, around 66 million years ago. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025

The circular dots found near the center of the fossil indicate that a predatory marine reptile called a mosasaur took some bites of it. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 16 Apr. 2025

As the climate shifted and other marine predators began to falter, mosasaurs adapted and flourished. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Sep. 2024

These unique tooth types allowed different mosasaurs to thrive at the same time. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Mosasaurus, from Latin Mosa the river Meuse + Greek sauros lizard

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mosasaur

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

Kids Definition

mosasaur

noun

mo·​sa·​saur ˈmō-zə-ˌsȯr 

: any of various very large extinct fish-eating lizards of seas of the Cretaceous period with limbs resembling paddles

Etymology

from Latin Mosa "the River Meuse" and Greek sauros "lizard"