Daily Dino Fact: Terrible Lizards
Q: Where does the word “dinosaur” come from and what exactly does it mean? -Chipmunk
A: The word “dinosaur” was coined by famous English biologist and paleontologist Sir Richard Owens. The word derives from Greek δεινός (deinos) “terrible, powerful, wondrous” + σαῦρος (sauros) “lizard.” For short, it means “terrible lizard” or “fearfully great reptile.”
The word is used to describe all kinds of prehistoric reptiles, although the ones that flew and swim were not actually dinosaurs. The name indicates people’s early perception of dinosaurs as being violent and aggressive. Dinosaur bones have been found for centuries, the ancient Chinese believed they were actually the bones of dragons!
-Rex
Tags: Daily Dino Fact
August 28th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
which dinosuar died first?
August 28th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Cool!
August 28th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
I thought Terrible Lizard is Rex… (in latin)Or was it Tiranosaurus Rex…?
August 28th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
wats the tallest dino
August 28th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
did dinosaurs like to dance?
August 28th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Did dinosaurs have fur?
August 28th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
hh awesome
August 28th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Hey Rex, you wanted you know what my website was so you can put it on the blogroll. I have two, there below.
http://cphintscp.tk
http://dudewebosaurs.wordpress.com
August 28th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
that dino looks like a bird!lol
August 28th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
I have a Daily Dino Fact Question. Here it is:
How did dinosaurs evolve on planet earth?
August 28th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Awesome but I just have no clue Webosaurs is a great site lol I knew about it yesterday and joined yesterday LOL!
August 28th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
did any dinosaurs have mating dances just like some lizards now?
August 28th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
what would we bo doing now if there were still dinosaurs and they could talk then one comes and says hi my names stretch?-tim
August 29th, 2009 at 11:13 am
Do scientists have about an estimated amount of how many dinosaurs there were?-Flyergal
August 30th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
On a show jurassic fight club a dinosaur called majugatholus I think I spelled it right? Anyways a male did a mating dance for the female later well she umm ate him
August 30th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
HA HA !IM GREEK SO I KNOW!Yeah,deinos means terrible and saura means lizard!
August 30th, 2009 at 11:46 pm
How diferent were the dinosaur eggs between them?-Djcoolio
August 30th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
I LOVE WEBOSAURS!!!:D
March 9th, 2010 at 5:50 am
that looked like a trodon and a deinonychus but they are but such killers they can kill a dinosaur bigger than them even if they are small.
March 9th, 2010 at 5:52 am
also the word saur in dinosaur or saurus means reptile or lizard