tyrannosaur

noun

ty·​ran·​no·​saur tə-ˈra-nə-ˌsȯr 

tī-

plural tyrannosaurs

1

: a massive North American tyrannosaurid dinosaur (Tyrannosaurus rex) : tyrannosaurus rex

2

: tyrannosaurid

Examples of tyrannosaur in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

My kids giggle in delight while standing in front of the subwoofer and feeling the heavy thud of a tyrannosaur’s footsteps tickle their shins. —Adrienne So, WIRED, 1 Apr. 2020

But even as experts have recognized that some species, such as Triceratops, really did lock horns, most ceratopsids had horn arrangements that don’t seem optimized to fight off tyrannosaurs or battle each other. —Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Sep. 2024

From towering sauropods and fearsome tyrannosaurs to tanklike ankylosaurs and horned ceratopsians, dinosaurs dominate our conceptions of the past. —Kristi Curry Rogers, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2024

Younger tyrannosaurs, in particular, likely targeted smaller prey, from lizards and crocodilians to other juvenile dinosaurs. —Alex Orlando, Discover Magazine, 1 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Tyrannosaurus, from Greek tyrannos tyrant + sauros lizard

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

tyrannosaur

noun

ty·​ran·​no·​saur tə-ˈran-ə-ˌsȯ(ə)r 

tī-

: a very large North American flesh-eating dinosaur of the Cretaceous period that had small forelegs and walked on its hind legs