compsognathus
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comp·sog·na·thus
(kŏmp-sŏg′nə-thəs, kŏmp′səg-nā′-)n.
A carnivorous theropod dinosaur of the genus Compsognathus of the Jurassic Period, characterized by its very small size, thought to be about that of a chicken.
[New Latin genus name : Greek kompsos, refined, delicate + Greek gnathos, jaw; see genu- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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| Noun | 1. |  compsognathus - very small bipedal carnivorous dinosaur of the late Jurassic in Bavariabird-footed dinosaur, theropod, theropod dinosaur - any of numerous carnivorous dinosaurs of the Triassic to Cretaceous with short forelimbs that walked or ran on strong hind legs genus Compsognathus - a reptile genus of Theropoda |
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