brontosaurus: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2formal, technical, literary
Quick answer
What does “brontosaurus” mean?
A very large, long-necked, herbivorous dinosaur from the Late Jurassic period.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A very large, long-necked, herbivorous dinosaur from the Late Jurassic period.
1. Any very large or clumsy person or thing, used figuratively. 2. A symbol of something considered outdated or obsolete, based on historical taxonomic debate.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in usage or meaning. Both dialects primarily know it as a dinosaur name.
Connotations
Equally evocative of prehistoric size and, in figurative use, outdatedness. The name is equally recognizable.
Frequency
Equally low frequency, appearing mainly in paleontological, educational, or figurative literary contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “brontosaurus” in a Sentence
The [adj] brontosaurus [verb-ed]...A brontosaurus, which...As clumsy as a brontosaurusVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “brontosaurus” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The project had a brontosaurus-like inertia.
American English
- We're stuck with this brontosaurus-sized bureaucracy.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
'That corporate brontosaurus can't adapt to market changes.' (figurative for a slow, outdated company)
Academic
The paper reassesses the postcranial morphology of Brontosaurus excelsus.
Everyday
The children were fascinated by the brontosaurus skeleton at the museum.
Technical
Brontosaurus is characterized by its robust cervical vertebrae and bifurcated neural spines.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “brontosaurus”
- Misspelling: 'brontasaurus', 'brontosorus'.
- Incorrectly using it as a general term for any dinosaur.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are closely related but distinct genera. For much of the 20th century, Brontosaurus was considered a synonym of Apatosaurus, but detailed studies in the 2010s confirmed enough anatomical differences to classify them separately.
It comes from Greek 'brontē' meaning 'thunder' and 'sauros' meaning 'lizard', hence 'thunder lizard'.
Yes, it is commonly used to describe anything perceived as enormous, clumsy, or obsolete, e.g., 'a brontosaurus of a government department'.
In British English: /ˌbrɒn.təˈsɔː.rəs/ (bron-tuh-SAW-ruhs). In American English: /ˌbrɑːn.t̬əˈsɔːr.əs/ (brahn-tuh-SOR-us).
A very large, long-necked, herbivorous dinosaur from the Late Jurassic period.
Brontosaurus is usually formal, technical, literary in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A brontosaurus in a china shop (variation on 'bull in a china shop')”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'BRONTO' (like thunder, from Greek 'brontē') + 'SAURUS' (lizard). A 'thunder lizard'.
Conceptual Metaphor
SIZE IS POWER / OBSOLESCENCE IS HEAVINESS (e.g., 'That old system is a bureaucratic brontosaurus').
Practice
Quiz
What is the most accurate scientific classification for a brontosaurus?