Tyrannosaurus
/taɪˌrænəˈsɔːrəs/noun
A genus of large carnivorous theropod dinosaurs, including T. rex.
Did you know?Tyrannosaurus was named in 1905 from Greek roots, not ancient myth, but its title still feels like a spell: a “tyrant” plus “lizard” turned into one of the most fearsome names in science.
Etymological Timeline
Greek Antiquity
Greek
τύραννος (týrannos)
“a ruler or absolute lord, often with a negative sense of illegitimate or oppressive rule”
Greek Antiquity
Greek
σαῦρος (saûros)
“lizard”
19th Century
New Latin
Tyrannosaurus
“scientific genus name meaning “tyrant lizard””
Modern English
English
Tyrannosaurus
“the genus name for a giant predatory dinosaur”