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

Fossil Location The tyrannosaur teeth in the Ashdown Brickworks turned out to be fortuitous find, as researchers say the dinosaur group hadn’t previously been identified in sediments of this age and region. —Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 1 Jan. 2025

The tyrannosaurs living here likely would have been about a third of the size of their more famous North American cousin Tyrannosaurus rex. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 5 Dec. 2024

The latest study represents the first time that tyrannosaurs have been identified in deposits of this age in the region, according to the researchers. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024

Meat-eaters like tyrannosaurs and Velociraptors all belong to a group of dinosaurs called theropods. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 5 Dec. 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