apatosaurus
UK[əˌpætəˈsɔːrəs]US[əˌpætəˈsɔːrəs]
n
A very large, herbivorous dinosaur of the late Jurassic period, with a long neck and tail and a relatively small head.
Morpheme Breakdown
apato
saurus
apato
deceptive
saurus
lizard
Etymology
The name Apatosaurus, meaning "deceptive lizard," was coined in 1877 by paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh. The "deception" stemmed from early fossil findings, where the creature's vertebrae were mistakenly thought to resemble those of a marine reptile like Mosasaurus, suggesting a deceptive nature. The suffix "-saurus," a standard taxonomic ending derived from Greek for "lizard," classifies it within the reptile family. Thus, the name literally tells the story of an initial scientific misidentification based on its bone structure.
Analysis
Structure: apato (deceptive) + saurus (lizard)
- apato: From Greek apatē (ἀπάτη), meaning "deceit" or "trickery". It functions as a root conveying the sense of being deceptive.
- saurus: From Greek sauros (σαῦρος), meaning "lizard" or "reptile". It functions as a combining form used in the names of reptiles, especially dinosaurs.
Examples
The massive skeleton of an apatosaurus dominates the museum's central hall.
Scientists believe the apatosaurus used its long neck to browse for vegetation in tall trees.
The apatosaurus, once popularly known as brontosaurus, is a classic example of a sauropod dinosaur.