plesiosaur
noun
ple·si·o·saur ˈplē-sē-ə-ˌsȯr 
-zē-
: any of an order or suborder (Plesiosauria) of large carnivorous marine reptiles of the Mesozoic with dorsoventrally flattened bodies and limbs modified into flippers
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Could the Loch Ness monster actually have been a plesiosaur? 
Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 2 Aug. 2022 Another part was that Nessie most closely resembles the plesiosaur. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 28 July 2022 The plesiosaur — an aquatic dinosaur once thought to exclusively reside in saltwater — is now believed to have spent much of its time in freshwater, according to a new study. Tori B. Powell, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2022 Locals in Morocco found fossils belonging to the plesiosaur in a 100-million-year-old freshwater river system. Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 2 Aug. 2022 No plesiosaur has lived for many millions of years. Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 29 July 2022 The bones hint at the plesiosaur living and feeding in freshwater routinely. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 28 July 2022 The announcement comes after researchers identified plesiosaur fossils in a 100 million-year-old river system in Morocco's Sahara Desert, indicating that the reptiles may have lived in freshwater and not only seawater, as previously thought. Jason Duaine Hahn, PEOPLE.com, 28 July 2022 That book also claims that Noah likely took small, or baby, dinosaurs onto his ark and that the Loch Ness Monster likely was real, perhaps a plesiosaur — a marine reptile that scientists say became extinct at the same time as dinosaurs. Chris Hays, orlandosentinel.com, 9 Aug. 2021 See More
Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 2 Aug. 2022 Another part was that Nessie most closely resembles the plesiosaur. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 28 July 2022 The plesiosaur — an aquatic dinosaur once thought to exclusively reside in saltwater — is now believed to have spent much of its time in freshwater, according to a new study. Tori B. Powell, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2022 Locals in Morocco found fossils belonging to the plesiosaur in a 100-million-year-old freshwater river system. Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 2 Aug. 2022 No plesiosaur has lived for many millions of years. Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 29 July 2022 The bones hint at the plesiosaur living and feeding in freshwater routinely. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 28 July 2022 The announcement comes after researchers identified plesiosaur fossils in a 100 million-year-old river system in Morocco's Sahara Desert, indicating that the reptiles may have lived in freshwater and not only seawater, as previously thought. Jason Duaine Hahn, PEOPLE.com, 28 July 2022 That book also claims that Noah likely took small, or baby, dinosaurs onto his ark and that the Loch Ness Monster likely was real, perhaps a plesiosaur — a marine reptile that scientists say became extinct at the same time as dinosaurs. Chris Hays, orlandosentinel.com, 9 Aug. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
ultimately from Greek plēsios close (akin to Greek pelas near) + sauros lizard
First Known Use
1839, in the meaning defined above