brontosaurus

[ bron-tuh-sawr-uhs ]

noun

, plural bron·to·sau·rus·es, bron·to·sau·ri [bron-t, uh, -, sawr, -ahy].

1. brontosaur.

brontosaurus

/ ˌbrɒntəˈsɔːrəs; ˈbrɒntəˌsɔː /

noun

1. any very large herbivorous quadrupedal dinosaur of the genus Apatosaurus , common in North America during Jurassic times, having a long neck and long tail: suborder Sauropoda (sauropods)

brontosaurus

/ brŏn′tə-sôr′əs /

1. An earlier name for apatosaurus

Brontosaurus

1. A large herbivorous ( see herbivore ) dinosaur , perhaps the most familiar of the dinosaurs. The scientific name has recently been changed to Apatosaurus, but Brontosaurus is still used popularly. The word is from the Greek, meaning “thunder lizard.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of brontosaurus¹

< New Latin (1879), equivalent to Greek bronto- (combining form of brontḗ thunder) + saûros -saurus

Word History and Origins

Origin of brontosaurus¹

C19: from New Latin, from Greek brontē thunder + sauros lizard

Word History

Take a little deception, add a little excitement, stir them with a century-long mistake, and you have the mystery of the brontosaurus. Specifically, you have the mystery of its name. For 100 years this 70-foot-long, 30-ton vegetarian giant had two names. This case of double identity began in 1877, when bones of a large dinosaur were discovered. The creature was dubbed apatosaurus, a name that meant “deceptive lizard” or “unreal lizard.” Two years later, bones of a larger dinosaur were found, and in all the excitement, scientists named it brontosaurus or “thunder lizard.” This name stuck until scientists decided it was all a mistake—the two sets of bones actually belonged to the same type of dinosaur. Since it is a rule in taxonomy that the first name given to a newly discovered organism is the one that must be used, scientists have had to use the term apatosaurus. But “thunder lizard” had found a lot of popular appeal, and many people still prefer to call the beast brontosaurus.

Example Sentences

He would not have been surprised to see a brontosaurus peeking coyly down at him from twenty feet or so of neck.

From Project Gutenberg

It was just the sort of place any self-respecting brontosaurus would have wallowed in.

From Project Gutenberg

It appears that at the annual fancy-dress ball all the inhabitants clubbed together and went as a Brontosaurus.

From Project Gutenberg

Yes—the chinless gentleman with gentle brown and protruding eyes and the expression of a tame brontosaurus.

From Project Gutenberg

This intelligent animal (believed to be the female of the Brontosaurus) was probably seeking a change of headgear.

From Project Gutenberg