-saurus

See also: Saurus and šaurus

Translingual

Etymology

From Ancient Greek σαῦρος (saûros, “lizard, reptile”). The broader use, which has become standard especially for dinosaurs, follows some of the earliest non-avian dinosaur genera to be named, particularly Megalosaurus (literally “giant lizard”).

Suffix

-saurus m

1. Forms genus names of lizards.
2. Forms genus names of dinosaurs, ichthyosaurs, mosasaurs, and other large extinct reptiles.

Derived terms

Translingual terms suffixed with -saurus

Related terms

• -saura

English

Alternative forms

• -saur

Etymology

From Ancient Greek σαῦρος (saûros, “lizard, reptile”), inspired by its use in taxonomic names for dinosaurs.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɔːɹəs/
• Rhymes: -ɔːɹəs

Suffix

-saurus

1. Forms names for real or imaginary dinosaurs.

Usage notes

The plural form is -sauri (brontosauri, tyrannosauri) or -sauruses (brontosauruses, tyrannosauruses).

Derived terms

English terms suffixed with -saurus

Translations

forms names for dinosaurs

• Portuguese: -sauro m
• Spanish: -saurio (es) m, stego, saurus