Definition

A type of large, meat-eating dinosaur that lived during the late Jurassic and early Cretaceous periods. It was similar to the tyrannosaurus but smaller, and it had three sharp claws on each arm and leg.

Example

The allosaur was a formidable predator during its time, hunting in packs to take down larger prey.

Conversation

Did you read about the allosaur they found in Utah?

Yeah, it's fascinating how big those dinosaurs were!

I always thought the allosaur was similar to the T-rex.

It is, but they were actually quite different in size and shape!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Allosaur is formed from "allo-" (from Greek "allos", meaning other or different) and "sauros" (from Greek, meaning lizard or reptile). The word refers to a type of dinosaur that is different from others, specifically a large carnivorous dinosaur.

Memory Tip

Think of 'allo-' meaning 'other' and 'sauros' meaning 'lizard' — this helps you remember that an allosaur is a different kind of lizard or dinosaur.

Visually Confused Words