Titanosaurus

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A member of the largest family of sauropod dinosaurs, characterized by enormous size and long necks, that inhabited Earth during the Cretaceous period
2. Any of a group of enormous long-necked herbivorous dinosaurs from the Cretaceous era, notable for being among the largest land animals ever to exist
3. A colossal sauropod dinosaur from Cretaceous times, distinguished by extreme body size and the distinctive anatomy of this particular sauropod family

Etymology: Paleontologists reached back to Greek myth for a name fitting for giants. "Titan" refers to the vast older gods of Greek mythology, while "sauros" is the Greek word for "lizard," the usual ending for dinosaur names. The genus was named by British paleontologist Richard Lydekker, based on fragmentary remains from India. Because that material is so incomplete, the genus is now regarded as a doubtful name. Its label survives mainly through "titanosaur," the broader term for a large group of giant, long-necked sauropods.

Synonyms: sauropod, dinosaur