dinosaur
dinosaur
Pronunciation
Dinosaur: /ˈdaɪnəsɔːr/
dai- /daɪ/:
/d/: Voiced alveolar plosive
/aɪ/: Diphthong (as in "my")
no- /nə/:
/n/: Voiced alveolar nasal
/ə/: Schwa (unstressed vowel sound)
saur /sɔːr/:
/s/: Voiceless alveolar fricative
/ɔː/: Open-mid back rounded vowel (as in "thought")
/r/: Voiced alveolar approximant
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: dinosaur
Plural Noun: dinosaurs
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition: Any of a group of diverse reptiles of the clade Dinosauria, that first appeared during the Triassic period, became the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for 135 million years from the start of the Jurassic until the end of the Cretaceous, and became extinct at the close of the Mesozoic Era, with the exception of birds, which are now considered to be their direct descendants. These creatures are typically characterized by their upright stance, specialized ankle joints, and often large size.
Synonyms: prehistoric reptile, ancient giant, Mesozoic creature
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms, as it refers to a specific type of extinct animal. One might consider "modern animal" or "mammal" in a broader contextual contrast, but it's not a true antonym.)
Definition: (Figurative) Something or someone that is very old, outdated, or no longer relevant, often in a humorous or derogatory sense.
Synonyms: relic, antique, fossil, anachronism, old-fashioned, archaic, outmoded
Antonyms: modern, contemporary, cutting-edge, state-of-the-art, trendy, up-to-date
Examples of Use
Books:
"The paleontologist spent years studying the fossilized bones of various dinosaurs to understand their migratory patterns." (From a hypothetical scientific text on paleontology, similar to works by Stephen Jay Gould)
"As the gates swung open, the awe-struck children got their first glimpse of the towering animatronic dinosaur, its roars echoing through the park." (From a fictional novel, evocative of Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton)
Newspapers:
"Local tech company faces criticism for sticking to outdated software, being called a 'technological dinosaur' by industry experts." ( The Wall Street Journal)
"New discoveries in Patagonia suggest a previously unknown species of carnivorous dinosaur once roamed the ancient landscape." (The Guardian)
Online Publications:
"Is the traditional newspaper a dying dinosaur in the age of digital media?" ( TechCrunch)
"Researchers from the University of Bristol published new findings on the feather structures of early dinosaurs." ( ScienceDaily)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "The most iconic scene in the movie features a colossal T-Rex, a truly terrifying dinosaur, chasing the protagonists through a jeep." (Referring to Jurassic Park, 1993)
Television Series: "In the latest episode, the explorers stumble upon a hidden valley where dinosaurs are rumored to still exist." (Referring to a fictional adventure series, similar to Terra Nova)
Video Games: "Players must strategically avoid the patrolling dinosaurs while collecting resources in this open-world survival game." (Referring to games like Ark: Survival Evolved)
Music: "The band's new album features a track titled 'Ode to a Dinosaur,' a metaphorical commentary on aging rock stars." (From a hypothetical album review)
General Public Discourse:
"My grandpa still uses a flip phone; he's such a dinosaur when it comes to technology." (Casual conversation among friends)
"Some people view traditional bookstores as a kind of dinosaur in an increasingly digital world, but they still have their charm." (Online forum discussion)
"That old factory building is a real dinosaur; it's inefficient and badly needs to be modernized." (Local community meeting)
10 Quotes Using Dinosaur
"God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates Man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs." (Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park)
"The reality is you either step into the future, or you become a dinosaur." (M. Shadows)
"Fossils have richer stories to tell - about the lub-dub of dinosaur life - than we have been willing to listen to." (Robert T. Bakker)
"A dinosaur out of context is like a character without a story." (Jack Horner)
"Dinosaurs may be extinct from the face of the planet, but they are alive and well in our imaginations." (Steve Miller)
"The dinosaurs became extinct because they couldn't adapt to their changing environment. We shall disappear if we cannot adapt to an environment that now contains spaceships, computers - and thermonuclear weapons." (Arthur C. Clarke)
"I would give ten years off the beginning of my life to see, only once, Tyrannosaurus rex come rearing up from the elms of Central Park." (Edward Abbey)
"Technology has a great advantage in that we are capable of creating dinosaurs and show them on the screen even though they are extinct 65 million years." (Werner Herzog)
"It's very simple why kids are crazy about dinosaurs—dinosaurs are nature's special effects." (Robert T. Bakker)
"We all have a dinosaur deep within us just trying to get out." (Colin Mochrie)
Etymology
The word "dinosaur" was coined by a British anatomist and paleontologist named Sir Richard Owen. He came up with the term in 1841 (though it was first published in his report in 1842).
He put together two ancient Greek words to create it:
"Deinos" (δεινός): This word means "terrible," "fearful," or even "awesomely great" or "powerful." Owen likely chose it to highlight the immense size and impressive nature of these creatures, rather than just suggesting they were scary.
"Sauros" (σαῦρος): This word simply means "lizard" or "reptile."
So, when you put them together, "dinosaur" literally translates to "terrible lizard" or "fearfully great lizard."
Before Owen, people were finding large, strange fossilized bones, but they didn't have a single word to group them all together. Owen looked at several of these fossil discoveries, like Megalosaurus, Iguanodon, and Hylaeosaurus, and noticed they shared certain features, particularly in their skeletons (like how their legs were positioned directly under their bodies, unlike modern reptiles). He realized these were a distinct group of ancient reptiles, far larger than any living ones, and decided they needed a special name. That's when "Dinosauria" (the scientific group name) and "dinosaur" (the common word) were born.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Dinosaur
Technological dinosaur: Someone or something that is outdated in terms of technology.
Corporate dinosaur: A company or organization that is slow to adapt to change or new ideas.
Fashion dinosaur: Someone whose style of dress is significantly out of date.
Literary dinosaur: A writer whose themes or style are considered old-fashioned or irrelevant.
A relic from the age of dinosaurs: Something extremely old or from a bygone era.
To be a social dinosaur: To be out of touch with current social trends or customs.
As old as a dinosaur: Extremely old (a common colloquial simile).
To go the way of the dinosaur: To become extinct, obsolete, or irrelevant.
A political dinosaur: A politician who has been in power for a very long time and whose views or methods are considered outdated.
Teaching an old dinosaur new tricks: A humorous variation of "teaching an old dog new tricks," implying something very difficult or impossible due to ingrained habits or resistance to change.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of dinosaur from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
