archosaur

noun

Meaning

A member of a major group of reptiles that includes dinosaurs, pterosaurs, crocodiles, and birds.

Examples

  • Paleontologists study the skull structure of every known archosaur to understand how they evolved.
  • The archosaur lineage split into two main branches during the Triassic period.

Synonyms: reptile, dinosaur, crocodilian, diapsid