stegosaurus

noun

stego·​sau·​rus ˌste-gə-ˈsȯr-əs How to pronounce stegosaurus (audio)
: any of a genus (Stegosaurus) of stegosaurs known from the Upper Jurassic rocks especially of Colorado and Wyoming

Examples of stegosaurus in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The folds of rock turn vertical, knifelike, a stegosaurus spine of giant sandstone plates. — Rowan Jacobsen, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025 The stegosaurus skeleton, known as Apex, is valued at $4-6 million. — Jennifer Vilcarino, ABC News, 31 May 2024 Finally, below is another cool still from the trailer of also not a stegosaurus. — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026 This part of the valley offers amazing hiking at Mills Mansion; the trails hang above the Hudson and are ridged with rocks like a stegosaurus's back. — Gary Shteyngart, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2023 See All Example Sentences for stegosaurus

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek stegos roof + sauros lizard — more at thatch

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stegosaurus was in 1880

Rhymes for stegosaurus

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Browse Nearby Words

stegosauroid
stegosaurus
stegs
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Cite this Entry

“Stegosaurus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stegosaurus. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

stegosaurus

noun
stego·​sau·​rus ˌsteg-ə-ˈsȯr-əs How to pronounce stegosaurus (audio)
: any of a genus of 4-footed plant-eating dinosaurs having bony plates and spikes on the back and tail and whose fossil remains are found in the Upper Jurassic rocks of Colorado and Wyoming

More from Merriam-Webster on stegosaurus

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stegosaurus

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