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 mosasaur has henchman spinosaurs – a nice touch – while a titanosaurus couple shares a loving moment (which gets interrupted by some pesky humans). —Brian Truitt, USA Today, 2 July 2025

In order to make drugs that will dramatically decrease coronary disease, Krebs needs blood samples from the biggest land, air, and sea dinosaurs out there: the titanosaur (making its Jurassic series debut), the quetzalcoatlus, and our old buddy the mosasaur. —Alison Willmore, Vulture, 30 June 2025

This particular individual may represent the largest mosasaur ever discovered in Mississippi. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025

Scientists believe mosasaurs became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period, according to Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality researchers. —Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 19 May 2025

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"