Dromaeosaurid

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A taxonomic grouping of nimble, feathered carnivorous dinosaurs distinguished by their unique foot claws and predatory behavior
2. A lineage of agile, theropod dinosaurs recognized for specialized predatory adaptations, including distinctive claws and potential plumage
3. A group of agile theropod dinosaurs known for their sharp sickle-shaped claws and evidence of feathers

Etymology: Dromaeosaurid is a modern scientific coinage, not an ancient word. It was built in the 19th century from Greek roots: "dromaios", meaning "running" (from "dramein", to run), and "sauros", meaning "lizard". The first part comes from the genus Dromaeosaurus, named by Barnum Brown in 1922 for a small predatory dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Alberta, so the name means roughly "running lizard." The suffix "-id" marks membership in a biological family, so a dromaeosaurid is a member of the family Dromaeosauridae. The group is best known through "raptors" such as Velociraptor and Deinonychus. Their name came to cover the whole family, which is why the word has a family-level suffix on top of a genus name. Evidence from fossils with preserved feathers later showed that many members were covered in plumage.