velociraptor

[ vuh-los-uh-rap-ter, ‐tawr ]

noun

1. a small carnivorous dinosaur of the genus Velociraptor , from the late Cretaceous period, capable of leaping, and growing to a length of about 6 feet (2 meters), having feathers, a flat snout, short forelimbs with large handlike talons, and a large sickle-shaped claw on each foot.

velociraptor

/ və-lŏs′ə-răp′tər /

1. A small, fast, carnivorous dinosaur of the genus Velociraptor of the Cretaceous Period that was about 2 m (6.5 ft) in length. It had long curved claws for grasping and tearing at prey, walked on two legs that were adapted for leaping, and had a long stiff tail used as a counterweight. Velociraptors were a kind of raptor.

Word History and Origins

Origin of velociraptor¹

1920–25; < New Latin, equivalent to veloci-, stem of vēlox “swift, quick” + raptor ( def )

Example Sentences

“The only dinosaurs that walked on two toes were ‘raptors’ like velociraptor and their close relatives.”

From New York Times

These teeth were previously classified as belonging to the dromaeosaurid family of Velociraptor fame.

From Science Daily

While famous as the region where Velociraptor was discovered, China and Mongolia's Late Cretaceous Gobi Desert might have more of an impact on our understanding of ancient -- and modern -- life thanks to its rich record of fossil lizards.

From Science Daily

Adding to the puzzle is the presence of early proto-wings on flightless bird relatives like Velociraptor and Oviraptor, said Minyoung Son, a paleontologist at the University of Minnesota and an author on the paper.

From New York Times

Although dinosaurs were largely extinct by 66 million years ago, therapods, the three-clawed, hollow-boned group that included Velociraptor and Tyrannosaurus rex, had started to evolve into today’s birds.

From Scientific American