apatosaurus
noun
apato·sau·rus
ə-ˌpa-tə-ˈsȯr-əs 
variants
or less commonly apatosaur
: any of a genus (Apatosaurus of the family Diplodocidae) of very large, herbivorous, sauropod dinosaurs that lived during the Late Jurassic period and reached a length of over 65 feet (20 meters) and a height of 12 feet (3.7 meters) and are thought to have attained a weight of up to 30 tons (27 metric tons)
Note: Apatosauruses were first identified as being of a separate genus (Brontosaurus) and continue to be commonly called brontosauruses or brontosaurs based on this earlier and now invalid classification.
Examples of apatosaurus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Largest Life Over the years, biologists have identified over 250 distinct sauropod species, including several species from the famous apatosaurus and brachiosaurus genera.
—
Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 11 May 2023
The fossil record reveals that several types of sauropods, including the apatosaurus, buried their babies instead of brooding them, leaving them to emerge from their shells all on their own.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 21 Mar. 2023
Watch Brave on Disney+ The Good Dinosaur A young apatosaurus named Arlo befriends a human boy when he's swept away from his family in this heartwarming 2015 movie.
—Sydni Ellis, Peoplemag, 17 Mar. 2023
The fossil was found in the same Rocky Mountain region that has produced dinosaurs like apatosaurus, allosaurus and stegosaurus, according to the Utah DNR.
—Jordan Culver, USA TODAY, 22 May 2020
The resulting film is a sixth-grade sketchbook mash of dino-murder, cartoonish villains, and plot holes big enough for an apatosaurus to fit through.
—Sam MacHkovech, Ars Technica, 22 June 2018
There were stegosauruses, apatosauruses, a T-rex, but the parasaurolophus, in all its weird glory, was always my favorite.
—Katherine Clover, The Cut, 15 Feb. 2018
Kids can also meet a baby apatosaurus, take an exciting spin in the Jurassic Jeeps and play in themed bounce houses, dig for fossils, do crafts, enjoy face-painting and more.
—Oc Disney Staff, Orange County Register, 1 Apr. 2017
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Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 11 May 2023
The fossil record reveals that several types of sauropods, including the apatosaurus, buried their babies instead of brooding them, leaving them to emerge from their shells all on their own.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 21 Mar. 2023
Watch Brave on Disney+ The Good Dinosaur A young apatosaurus named Arlo befriends a human boy when he's swept away from his family in this heartwarming 2015 movie.
—Sydni Ellis, Peoplemag, 17 Mar. 2023
The fossil was found in the same Rocky Mountain region that has produced dinosaurs like apatosaurus, allosaurus and stegosaurus, according to the Utah DNR.
—Jordan Culver, USA TODAY, 22 May 2020
The resulting film is a sixth-grade sketchbook mash of dino-murder, cartoonish villains, and plot holes big enough for an apatosaurus to fit through.
—Sam MacHkovech, Ars Technica, 22 June 2018
There were stegosauruses, apatosauruses, a T-rex, but the parasaurolophus, in all its weird glory, was always my favorite.
—Katherine Clover, The Cut, 15 Feb. 2018
Kids can also meet a baby apatosaurus, take an exciting spin in the Jurassic Jeeps and play in themed bounce houses, dig for fossils, do crafts, enjoy face-painting and more.
—Oc Disney Staff, Orange County Register, 1 Apr. 2017
Dictionary Entries Near apatosaurus
Cite this Entry
“Apatosaurus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apatosaurus. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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apatosaurus
noun
apato·sau·rus
ə-ˌpat-ə-ˈsȯr-əs
: any of several very large long-necked plant-eating dinosaurs
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