plesiosaur
noun
ple·si·o·saur
ˈplē-sē-ə-ˌsȯr 
-zē-
: any of an order or suborder (Plesiosauria) of large carnivorous marine reptiles of the Mesozoic with dorsoventrally flattened bodies and limbs modified into flippers
Examples of plesiosaur in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Finding a plesiosaur fossil is rare compared to other fossilized marine reptiles from that time, like ichthyosaurs.
—
Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 31 Mar. 2025
For fossil plesiosaurs around 183 million years ago, the answer was a bit of both.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 10 Feb. 2025
Turning to a 183-million-year-old plesiosaur fossil from Germany’s Posidonia Shale, researchers have now provided novel insights into plesiosaur skin in the Jurassic period, revealing a strange mixture of smooth on the tail and scaly on the flippers.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 10 Feb. 2025
For the study, scientists analyzed soft tissue samples from a 183-million-year-old plesiosaur.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Feb. 2025
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Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 31 Mar. 2025
For fossil plesiosaurs around 183 million years ago, the answer was a bit of both.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 10 Feb. 2025
Turning to a 183-million-year-old plesiosaur fossil from Germany’s Posidonia Shale, researchers have now provided novel insights into plesiosaur skin in the Jurassic period, revealing a strange mixture of smooth on the tail and scaly on the flippers.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 10 Feb. 2025
For the study, scientists analyzed soft tissue samples from a 183-million-year-old plesiosaur.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for plesiosaur
Cite this Entry
“Plesiosaur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plesiosaur. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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