ichthyosaur

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

noun any of several marine reptiles of the Mesozoic having a body like a porpoise with dorsal and tail fins and paddle-shaped limbs

Borrowed from translingual Ichthyosaurus, equivalent to Ancient Greek ἰχθύς (ikhthús, “fish”) + Ancient Greek σαῦρος (saûros, “lizard”).

The gigantic ichthyosaurs, mesosaurs, and dinosaurs held dominion over the sea and land, and the monster flying reptile, the pterodactyl, over the air. — Wealth of the World's Waste Places and Oceania, Jewett C. (Jewett Castello) Gilson

Type a word, a sentence, a book title, or a link to an English article. WordNet and the Classics answer.

Try

A library of classics · a vault of words · instant etymology & meaning