sauropod

noun

sau·​ro·​pod ˈsȯr-ə-ˌpäd How to pronounce sauropod (audio)
: any of a suborder (Sauropoda) of quadrupedal herbivorous saurischian dinosaurs (such as an apatosaurus) of the Jurassic and Cretaceous having a long neck and tail, small head, and 5-toed limbs on which they tended to walk in a digitigrade fashion
sauropod adjective

Examples of sauropod in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Four of them came from the footfalls of some herbivorous sauropod, likely a Cetiosaurus. Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Jan. 2025 Together, the sites document hungry sauropods that were likely constantly on the march for food. Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 3 Jan. 2025 At one point erroneously believed to be water dwellers, these huge, land-dwelling herbivores had small heads and shorter necks and tails than most other sauropods. Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 3 Jan. 2025 The new sauropod, Qunkasaura pintiquiniestra, likely measured 32 feet to 50 feet long and could have weighed 11 tons. Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 26 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for sauropod

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Sauropoda, from Greek sauros lizard + New Latin -poda

First Known Use

circa 1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sauropod was circa 1889

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Cite this Entry

“Sauropod.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sauropod. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

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