Dinosaurs Word Search
Free Dinosaurs word search. We picked 12 themed words — the habitats, species, and behaviors of an animal group — and laid them out on a 15×15 grid. Drag across the letters to find every word on the list.
Words to find: THEROPOD, SAUROPOD, HADROSAUR, CARNIVORE, HERBIVORE, ORNITHISCHIAN, SAURISCHIAN, CRETACEOUS, JURASSIC, TRIASSIC, MESOZOIC, FOSSIL.
Every word on the list appears exactly once. Words can run forwards or backwards, so scan both directions before you move on.
Dinosaurs word list, defined
- THEROPOD /ˈθɛrəˌpɒd/ (British); /ˈθɛrəˌpɑd/ (US) · noun
- A theropod is a member of Theropoda, a major group of predominantly bipedal dinosaurs characterized typically by three-toed feet; the group includes birds. In common usage, the word often refers to a carnivorous dinosaur such as Tyrannosaurus, but the scientific category is broader. Related: theropod dinosaur.
- SAUROPOD /ˈsɔːrəpɒd/ · noun
- An extinct group of mostly herbivorous dinosaurs characterized by a long neck and tail, four weight-bearing legs, and a relatively small head. Sauropods included some of the largest animals ever to have lived on land. Related: sauropodian, long-necked dinosaur, brontosaur.
- HADROSAUR /ˈhædrəsɔːr/ · noun
- Any member of the family Hadrosauridae, a group of herbivorous ornithopod dinosaurs that lived during the Late Cretaceous. Hadrosaurs include the familiar duck-billed dinosaurs as well as related forms with crests and other distinctive features. Related: hadrosaurid, duck-billed dinosaur, duck-bill.
- CARNIVORE /ˈkɑːrnɪvɔːr/ · noun
- An animal that feeds primarily on the flesh of other animals. More broadly, a person who eats meat, or an organism that obtains energy and nutrients from animal tissue. Related: predator, meat-eater, hunter, flesh-eater.
- HERBIVORE /ˈhɜːrbɪvɔːr/ · noun
- An animal that feeds principally on plants or other vegetation. Related: plant-eater, grazer, browser, herbivorous animal.
- ORNITHISCHIAN /ˌɔːnɪˈθɪskiən/ · noun (also adjective)
- An ornithischian is a member of a major group of herbivorous dinosaurs characterized by a bird-like pelvic structure, including the pubis projecting forward. The group includes familiar dinosaurs such as stegosaurs, ceratopsians, ornithopods, and ankylosaurs. Related: bird-hipped dinosaur, ornithopod.
- SAURISCHIAN /sɔːˈrɪskiən/ · adjective & noun
- Relating to Saurischia, a major group of dinosaurs characterized by a lizard-like arrangement of the hip bones. As a noun, a saurischian is a dinosaur belonging to this group, including the theropods and sauropods. Related: lizard-hipped, saurischian, theropodian.
- CRETACEOUS /krɪˈteɪʃəs/ · adjective
- Relating to or consisting of chalk; in geology, belonging to the Cretaceous Period, the final period of the Mesozoic Era (roughly 145 to 66 million years ago), noted for its chalk deposits and for ending with the mass extinction that eliminated the non-avian dinosaurs. Related: chalky, chalk-like, whitish.
- JURASSIC /dʒəˈræsɪk/ · adjective
- Of or relating to the Jurassic Period, the geological period of the Mesozoic Era known for the abundance and diversity of dinosaurs. In figurative use, “jurassic” means extremely old, prehistoric, or comically outdated. Related: prehistoric, ancient, antiquated, dated.
- TRIASSIC /traɪˈæsɪk/ · noun and adjective
- The Triassic is the first geological period of the Mesozoic era, following the Permian and preceding the Jurassic. As an adjective, Triassic means relating to this period or to its rocks, fossils, and life.
- MESOZOIC /ˌmɛsoʊˈzoʊɪk/ · adjective and noun
- Relating to the Mesozoic Era, the geological period between the Paleozoic and Cenozoic eras, lasting from about 252 million to 66 million years ago. As a noun, it refers to this era of Earth’s history. Related: ancient, prehistoric, fossil-era.
- FOSSIL /ˈfɒs.əl/ (UK), /ˈfɑː.səl/ (US) · noun
- The remains or impression of a prehistoric organism preserved in rock, or, informally, an old-fashioned or outdated person, idea, or practice. Related: relic, remnant, remains, trace.
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