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ceratosaur

ceratosaur

1 9.9
A medium-sized dinosaur from the Jurassic period that ran fast and ate meat, with a short horn on its nose
  • noun
  • /ˈsɛrətəˌsɔr/
  • Specialized
: ceratosaurio
  • Paleontologists believe the ceratosaur was an agile and efficient carnivore of its time.

Examples

  • The ceratosaur was a fascinating dinosaur.

  • The ceratosaur was notable for the horn on its snout, a distinctive feature among Jurassic predators.

  • Fossils of the ceratosaur have been found in North America, revealing much about its evolution.

  • Did you know that a ceratosaur could run swiftly?

  • The fossil of a ceratosaur was discovered in the rocky cliffs, revealing its unique horn and sharp claws.

  • Paleontologists believe that the ceratosaur was an agile predator, capable of swift movement across the Jurassic landscape.

  • With its distinctive horn and grasping hands, the ceratosaur stood out among the theropod dinosaurs of its time.

Synonyms

ceratosaurus
vsceratosaur
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A medium-sized meat-eating dinosaur with a short horn on its nose

is a broader primitive Jurassic group emphasizing swift running and grasping hands

Surface Forms

ceratosaur singular
ceratosaurs plural

Morphology

ceratosaur = cerato + saur

Formed from Greek combining forms meaning 'horn' + 'lizard', but these combining forms are not standalone English words and will not help a typical B1 learner infer the meaning.

Etymology

Ceratosaur comes from two Greek parts: cerato- meaning 'horn' and -saur meaning 'lizard'. You can see -saur in the word dinosaur, so ceratosaur literally means a 'horned lizard'. That's why the name fits this Jurassic predator with a short horn on its snout.