Meanings
plural archosaurs
- A reptile of the taxon Archosauria, which includes modern crocodilians and birds, as well as the extinct pterosaurs, non-avian dinosaurs and other taxa.
The predominance of archosaurs over other reptiles might be a consequence of their more advanced mode of locomotion compared with their relatives.
2012, Winand Brinkmann, Kenneth De Baets, editors, Paleontological Museum of the University of Zürich: Exhibition Guide, Paleontological Institute and Museum of the University of Zürich, →ISBN, page 77
Synonyms & antonyms
nounextinct reptiles including: dinosaurs, plesiosaurs, pterosaurs, ichthyosaurs, thecodonts
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Ancient Greekἄρχων“leader”
- taxonomic nameArchosauria“taxonomic division of extinct reptiles”
- Englisharchosaur
From taxonomic name Archosauria (“taxonomic division of extinct reptiles”), from Ancient Greek ἄρχων (árkhōn, “leader”) + σαύρα (saúra, “lizard”).
More words from taxonomic name, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan arcosaure
- arcosaureany reptile of the taxon Archosauria
Chinese Mandarin 主龙
- 主龙any reptile of the taxon Archosauria
Polish archozaur, gad naczelny
- archozaurany reptile of the taxon Archosauria
- gad naczelnyany reptile of the taxon Archosauria
Portuguese arcossauro
- arcossauroany reptile of the taxon Archosauria
Russian архоза́вр
- архоза́вр (arxozávr)any reptile of the taxon Archosauria
Swedish arkosaurie
- arkosaurieany reptile of the taxon Archosauria
Cite this entry
archosaur. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/archosaur
“archosaur.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/archosaur. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “archosaur,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/archosaur.
Source: archosaur on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.