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Glite Dictionary
Apatosaurus excelsus

Apatosaurus excelsus

9.9
A large dinosaur that eats plants with a very long neck and tail
  • noun
  • /ˌæpəˈtɔːsərəs ɛkˈsɛlsəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Apatosaurus excelsus
  • The fossils of Apatosaurus excelsus have been found throughout the western United States.

Examples

  • Paleontologists believe that Apatosaurus excelsus lived in herds during the Jurassic period.

  • The Apatosaurus excelsus was a massive dinosaur.

  • Many children can recognize Apatosaurus excelsus because of its long neck and tail.

  • Did you know that the Apatosaurus excelsus lived in North America?

  • Many children can recognize Apatosaurus excelsus because of its long neck and tail.

  • Paleontologists believe that Apatosaurus excelsus lived in herds during the Jurassic period.

  • The fossils of Apatosaurus excelsus have been found throughout the western United States.

Synonyms

Apatosaurus
vsApatosaurus excelsus
  • Specialized
1 8.9

A very large plant-eating dinosaur with a long neck that walked on four legs

is the more specific species-level form common in North America
apatosaur
vsApatosaurus excelsus
1 9.9

A very large plant-eating dinosaur with a long neck that lived in North America

is the specific named form within that broader group
brontosaurus
vsApatosaurus excelsus
  • US
1 7.2

A huge four-legged plant-eating dinosaur that lived in North America in the late Jurassic

focuses on the long neck as a defining feature rather than general size

Surface Forms

Apatosaurus excelsus singular
Apatosaurus excelsuses plural

Morphology

Apatosaurus + excelsus

This is a scientific binomial: knowing 'Apatosaurus' lets a learner infer the phrase names a type/species of that dinosaur, so the general meaning (a dinosaur of that genus) is derivable. However, 'excelsus' is a Latin species epithet (not a common English word and here marked as not found), so the precise sense is technical and not transparently built from everyday English vocabulary, making the expression only partly predictable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

The dinosaur name Apatosaurus excelsus may come from words meaning 'deceptive lizard' because its bones first confused scientists and seemed to 'trick' them into thinking it was another animal. The second word excelsus means 'lofty' or 'high', a hint at its very long neck, so the name brings to mind a huge, long-necked dinosaur.