ichthyosaurus

9.9

A large extinct sea reptile that looked like a dolphin

noun
/ˌɪkθiəˈsɔrəs/

Specialized

: ictiosaurio

The museum's fossil collection includes a nearly complete ichthyosaurus skeleton from the Jurassic period.

Examples

The distinctive, fish-like shape of ichthyosaurus fossils has fascinated paleontologists for decades.
The distinctive, fish-like shape of ichthyosaurus fossils has fascinated paleontologists for decades.
Scientists believe that the ichthyosaurus was an agile swimmer, well-adapted to hunting in ancient seas.
The ichthyosaurus swam gracefully through the ancient oceans.
Did the ichthyosaurus have a similar diet to modern dolphins?
The museum's fossil collection includes a nearly complete ichthyosaurus skeleton from the Jurassic period.
Scientists believe that the ichthyosaurus was an agile swimmer, well-adapted to hunting in ancient seas.

Synonyms

ichthyosaur

vsichthyosaurus

Specialized

1 9.9

A large extinct sea reptile that looks like a dolphin with fins and paddle-like limbs

is a specific genus from the Jurassic rather than a broader Mesozoic group

Surface Forms

ichthyosaurus singular

ichthyosauruses plural

ichthyosauri plural

Morphology

ichthyosaurus = ichthyo + saurus

The word is a scientific name built from Greek combining forms ('ichthyo-' + '-saurus') that are not productive standalone English words, so average learners cannot derive its meaning from common English bases.

Etymology

Ichthyosaurus comes from Greek parts ichthyo- 'fish' and -saurus 'lizard', the same -saurus you see in dinosaur names, so the name literally means 'fish lizard' and explains its fish-like, dolphin-shaped body seen in fossils.