Diplodocus
/ˌdɪploʊˈdɒkəs/noun
A genus of long-necked, long-tailed sauropod dinosaurs from the Late Jurassic.
Did you know?Diplodocus was named for the double-beamed chevron bones on the underside of its tail, a feature first noticed by paleontologist O. C. Marsh in 1878.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
diplous
“double; twofold”
Ancient Greek
Greek
dokos
“beam; wooden beam or bar”
1878
New Latin
Diplodocus
“A genus name created by O. C. Marsh for a dinosaur with double-beamed tail bones”
Late 19th Century
English
Diplodocus
“The scientific name of the dinosaur genus, adopted into English”
Modern English
English
diplodocus
“A long-necked sauropod dinosaur of the genus Diplodocus”