dinosaur
/ˈdaɪnəˌsɔː/DIGH-nuh-sawr
/ˈdaɪnəˌsɔɹ/DIGH-nuh-sawr
Meaningterrible lizard
Common meaning: a prehistoric reptile
- dinoterrible (Greek deinos)
- saura lizardLiddell & Scott, Greek-English Lexicon (1883), p. 1377 · scan
‘terrible (Greek deinos)’ + ‘a lizard’ → dinosaur
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Built on Greek σαῦρος ‘a lizard’.
Did you know: our wording, based on Liddell & Scott, Greek-English Lexicon (1883), entry σαῦρος, p. 1377 · dictionary scan
Roots
- σαῦρος Greek “a lizard”
Related words
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