Ichthyosaurus

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Ichthyosaurus \Ich`thy*o*sau"rus\, n.; pl. {Ichthyosauri}. [NL.,
     fr. Gr. 'ichqy`s, -y`os, a fish + say^ros a lizard.]
     (Paleon.)
     An extinct genus of marine reptiles; -- so named from their
     short, biconcave vertebr[ae], resembling those of fishes.
     Several species, varying in length from ten to thirty feet,


     are known from the Liassic, O["o]litic, and Cretaceous
     formations.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  ichthyosaurus
       n : ichthyosaurs of the Jurassic
       [also: {ichthyosauri} (pl)]