avian dinosaur
- noun
- /ˈeɪviən ˈdaɪnəsɔr/
- Specialized
:
dinosaurio aviano
- Scientists believe that Archaeopteryx is the earliest known avian dinosaur and offers a glimpse into the evolution of birds.
Examples
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The discovery of feathers on some avian dinosaurs provides important evidence of the link between dinosaurs and modern birds.
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Paleontologists study fossils to learn more about the behavior and characteristics of ancient avian dinosaurs.
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Archaeopteryx (only avian dinosaur)
Blog text (2)
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning—a dinosaur that is bird-like or related to birds—is directly and transparently derived from combining 'avian' (bird-like) with 'dinosaur' (a kind of prehistoric reptile). This is a straightforward adjective + noun composition following standard English patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can reasonably infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Avian dinosaur gives a clear picture: avian means 'bird' and dinosaur means the old reptile, so imagine a feathered dinosaur like Archaeopteryx. Fossils of these bird-like animals helped scientists call modern birds and their ancestors avian dinosaurs, so the phrase means 'a dinosaur that is a bird or very like one'.
