sauropod

Dictionary: sau·ro·pod (sôr'ə-pŏd') pronunciation

n.
Any of various large semiaquatic saurischian dinosaurs of the suborder Sauropoda, of the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

adj.
Of or relating to the suborder Sauropoda.

[From New Latin Sauropoda, suborder name : Greek sauros, lizard + New Latin -poda, -pod.]

sauropodous sau·rop'o·dous (sô-rŏp'ə-dəs) adj.

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Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: sauropod

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Any species of four-legged, herbivorous, saurischian dinosaur in the suborder Sauropoda. The sauropods include the largest of all dinosaurs and the largest land animals that ever lived. They existed from the Late Triassic Epoch into the Cretaceous Period (227 – 65 million years ago). All species had a small head, extremely long neck, massive body, thick, pillarlike legs, and a very long, tapering, whiplike tail. With their weak, sparse teeth, they cropped vegetation from even the tallest trees, apparently depending on swallowed stones or bacteria in the gut to digest plant matter. Species ranged from 50 ft (15 m) long to the 98-ft (30-m) Brachiosaurus, which weighed 80 metric tons. See also Brontosaurus; Diplodocus; theropod.

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WordNet: sauropod

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Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: very large herbivorous dinosaur of the Jurassic and Cretaceous having a small head a long neck and tail and five-toed limbs; largest known land animal
Synonym: sauropod dinosaur

Learn More

	Brachiosaurus (paleontology)
	Camarasaurus (paleontology)
	Apatosaurus (paleontology)

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		Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more
		Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more
		WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. Read more